Unexpected not forgotten
by Sana1901
Summary: They were best friends since they were 9. Annabeth believes she loves him just as a best friend, but does she? What happens when someone turns up from Percy's past. Someone about whom even his best friend of 9 years doesn't know about. Someone unexpected, but not forgotten.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.**

Annabeth's pov:

I get out of my house at the sound of Percy's Prius. I feel calm today. The sun is out and shining, a gentle breeze blowing my golden curls. His old, beat-up, but still running blue Prius pulls into my driveway. I quickly slide into passenger seat and we go on our way to Goode High School. He's been picking me up for school for years now. This 'he' is Percy Jackson, the heart-throb thousands of schoolgirls want to date, and my best friend since 9 years- The reason why I get envious glares from the female population of my school.

"Morning wise girl" he says flashing me his famous lopsided grin which often has girls drooling.

"You waiting for me after school?" he asks returning his attention back to the road.

It's Friday today. The day Thalia, Jason, Piper, Percy and me hang out under the old pine tree in Central park. We've been doing this for years and it has become sort of a tradition now. I wait for him at the bleachers till his swim practice gets over and we head over to the tree together.

"Yep. As always." I reply looking over at him. Wait a second. Are those...?

"Are those blue cookies I smell?" I exclaim my eyes lighting up. I turn around and sure enough there's a box of delicious warm cookies on the backseat.

"I wondered how long it would take you to discover them" he says chuckling as I devour the blue goodies. You see, Percy and his mom Sally believe that there is a thing such as blue food. To prove this Sally goes out of her way to cook blue food- blue birthday cakes, blue tortilla chips, blue candies, blue cookies. You get used to it after some time though because you simply cannot resist Sally's cookies.

"Yeah? So how long exactly?" I ask him quirking an eyebrow.

"5 minutes 36 seconds. Exactly. You're getting slower wise girl" he says in fake disappointment.

I laugh and reach out for the last cookie only to find the box empty and my seaweed brain of a best friend munching something. He grins at my gaping expression quickly pecking my forehead as an apology. I just shake my head at his antics.

We finally pull into the school parking lot and make our way towards our lockers. I've gotten used to the stares and whispers following us now. Girls throwing glares my way while simultaneously trying to catch the swim team captain's attention. Trying to break down Perseus Jackson's walls and make their way into his heart. Its understandable actually. He has windswept black hair and mesmerizing sea green eyes. A lean muscular build with six pack abs which can partially be seen through his t-shirt. The worst and best thing about him though? He's oblivious to all this attention. He doesn't notice the lust filled looks thrown his way, the flirtatious winks and smiles he gets, the envious glares the guys give him, or the thousands of hearts he breaks when he politely declines the girls' offers. Or maybe he just chooses not to. This innocence, obliviousness and often stupid but sweet behaviour of his make me wonder if his brain is filled with seaweed hence his nickname seaweed brain. He tells me I'm his wise girl. Reason? Because I'm wise. Yep that's Percy Jackson for you.

But I wouldn't call them his flaws. No. He has been there with me since we were 9. He was there when my mother died. He was there when I cried at her funeral, his hand clutching mine. He was there when I fell off my skates scraping my knee and cried like a baby. Sure, he laughed and teased me about it afterwards- he still does. He was there when my dad remarried and I got two stepbrothers- who I felt were a total nuisance at that time. I still think they are sometimes though. He was there with me when I got B in a subject and cried for it and he was there when I had my first crush on this guy Luke. I'm over him now though. We attended our first party together. We had our first drink together. I've seen him cry over his torn panda pillow set. I've seen him win his first swim competition. I was there when he was announced the swim team captain. I've seen him sad because of a competition he lost. I've seen him be a mama's boy. I was there when he first moved to New York from Greece at 9 years of age, leaving his father behind. His parents are not divorced though and they are like a happy family- just living in different parts of the world but loving each other all the same. His dad travels a lot because of work and he doesn't see much of him. So it wouldn't make any difference if he moved to New York because he still goes to visit him during the vacations.

And I love him for all this- love him as a best friend. I've heard rumours of us dating, I've seen bets being made on when we are going to become a couple. I know about boys being scared of asking Percy Jackson's girl out. Rumours and misconceptions. That's what they are. I love him- true. But I love him as a best friend. I love him for always being there for me. I love him for sharing my sadness and his happiness. I love him for making me laugh when times are tough. I love him for being him. And I know that he loves for all this too.

So I ignore the judgemental looks around me, I ignore the girls who think I'm foolish for being just best friends with Percy Jackson, I ignore the girls who think I'm stupid for passing up the opportunity of touching him, the opportunity of feeling his lips against mine, the opportunity of being the only girl able to makes her way into his heart and yet not being anything more than just best friends with him, not making a move on him. I ignore them as I've been doing now for years, and make my way towards my locker with Percy's arm around my shoulder, my head held high. Towards the people who love me for what I am and who do not judge me and who tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. Towards the people I care about the most in the world- except Percy and my dad- towards my friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Annabeth's pov:

Striking electric blue eyes, spiky black hair and black punk clothes. Thalia grace. Percy's cousin and my second best friend. Just by looking at her you know she is not one to be messed with. She is not one be taken lightly and definitely not one you would want to piss off. But she's been with me through thick and thin, since I was seven. She may seem like someone who doesn't give a damn about anyone, but she loves and cares about us a lot. She's waiting by my locker along with her brother Jason and his girlfriend Piper. Jason has got the same eyes as her-bright electric blue, but short blonde hair. He's the responsible one in our group although he's younger than Thalia. He tries to keep us away from trouble- mainly Thalia and Percy-as much as possible because they both have a knack for irritating and angering Thalia's father-Zeus, the millionaire owner of Olympian airline. His girlfriend Piper is a beautiful girl, without an ounce of makeup. She doesn't even try to look beautiful but with her brown choppy hair, multicoloured eyes, dark complexion and a great figure she is easily the most beautiful girl in Goode High. But do not let her looks fool you because she can be as dangerous as Thalia when need be. Jason has his arm around her waist when we reach our locker.

"Hey man" Jason greets Percy and gives me a nod of acknowledgement when we arrive. I give him a sincere smile and turn to give Piper a hug.

"Annie guess what" Thalia says to me. I glare at her for calling me Annie, but my curiosity gets the better of me so I raise an eyebrow urging her to continue.

"we're going on a vacation to Greece- all 5 of us- after this shit of a school year ends cause you know it'll be our last year together in this school and who knows whether you guys will remember me or not" she says ending on a dramatic note. My eyes widen once I register what she said. A vacation to Greece. It's like a dream come true for me. I have done a lot of research on Greek and Roman architecture. Greek architects provided some of the finest and most distinctive buildings in the entire Ancient World and some of their structures, such as temples, theatres, and stadia, have become staple features of towns and cities. I have always wanted to become an architect and now I have the chance to see and study Greek architecture myself.

I realize Percy must have known about it because he has a house in Greece! I turn around to find him talking to Jason about swim practice today as he's on the team too. Piper often waits with me on the bleachers, and Thalia not wanting to be left alone joins us. We then head to Central park together.

I pat him on the shoulder and ask him in a stern voice, narrowing my eyes "you knew about this trip to Greece?" he seems surprised and slightly guilty by my question.

"Yeah! It was his idea in fact!" Thalia pipes up from behind me, smirking.

Percy sheepishly smiles, rubbing the back of his neck- a nervous habit of his.

"I wanted all of us to spend some together before separating and going off to universities in god knows which part of the world and since you've always wanted to go to Greece, not to mention the fact that I have house there- so no problem of lodging- I thought why not Greece? And I didn't tell you because I wanted this to be surprise for you, but someone just couldn't keep her mouth shut" he says glaring pointedly at Thalia and continues "but I'm sorry you had to find out this way, I was going to tell you sooner or late-" he would have kept on rambling if I hadn't cut him off with a peck on the cheek and flung myself at him, my arms wounding around his neck and his instantly coming around my waist. I bury my face into his shoulder muttering 'thank you' and 'I love you' repeatedly. He releases a sigh of relief probably because I didn't kill him for hiding this from me. He then chuckles, kisses my hair and says "I love you too and you're welcome wise girl."

I finally disentangle myself from him grinning from ear to ear like a maniac. Percy's expression mirrors mine. Meanwhile Thalia and Jason are smirking and looking at each other probably having one of those telepathic conversations.

The ringing bell snaps me out of my reverie. I grab my books and go on my way to first class yelling a quick goodbye to everyone.

The day passes quickly and smoothly and before I realize it I'm sitting on the bleachers with Thalia and Piper at the end of the day. I couldn't help but think about my trip to Greece the entire day. My biological mother, Athena, was a renowned architect. She born and brought up in Greece, thus often having a touch of Greek architecture in her works. It was her who introduced me to the world of architecture and aroused my interest in Greek and Roman architecture. Now I'm going to have a chance to see it for myself. I already have a list of all the monuments and sites I want to visit ready in my mind- though the list keeps getting longer and longer. Only 6 months left to our graduation. After that Greece with my most favourite people in the world and a good university with architecture courses.

Soon enough we head over to the huge, old pine tree in Central park, after the boys' practice gets over. It's placed in a secluded area of the park because of which we don't get any unwanted visitors. Thalia and me found the tree when we were seven. Since we introduced it to the others ,it has been our favourite meeting spot. There is something special about the tree. Many of our major decisions and confessions have been made under it's shade. Deciding where to eat tonight, confessions of crushes and loves, murder plannings- all have been made here. This tree has seen Percy's bruised knuckles and Jason's black eye. It has seen them have fist fights over trivial matters. It has seen Thalia kick Percy's and Jason's butts and heard her death threats, it has heard Piper's sobs after misunderstandings with Jason, it has seen me completely break down after my mother's death in Percy's arms. It has also seen us make up after petty fights, it has seen Percy and Jason forget their pride and give each other a hug, leaving the fight. It has seen those doofuses apologize for a black eye or a bruised jaw and then go back to teasing each other again. It has seen Piper and Jason kiss and make up after a fight. It has seen me tutoring Percy for math tests and heard me calling him seaweed brain for the first time. Its not just a tree for me, it is the tree whose old age reminds me of the millions of good and bad memories I have made, its cool shade consoles in dire times- reminding me that I am not alone, that I have people who love me and need me. It reminds me of the mistakes I have made, it helps me make important decisions in my life, and most of all- it's capability of still standing upright despite of being years old reminds me that my responsibilities are not yet over, that I have goals to fulfil, work to be completed. It motivates me to keep going on and never look back.

We spread a blanket brought from Jason's car under the tree. A light wind is blowing making a few dry leaves fall from the tree's branches. We take out the burgers, pizzas and fries we bought on our way here. Percy and Jason have their own separate boxes of pizzas as they always do after swim practice. I wonder what their coach might do if he finds them eating junk. They claim 'we are growing teenagers who need to be fed properly'. They can devour the whole pizza alone after swim practice and still have the capacity for more.

Piper sits in between Jason's legs as he leans back towards the tree, the rest of us around in a circle. I see Percy trying to steal my fries along with eating his 4th pizza slice. Yeah, he's fast. I slap his hand away slightly glaring at him. He puts on his baby seal face with those huge adorable eyes, slightly pouting his lips. I merely roll my eyes not falling for the face after having years of experience and practice.

Meanwhile Thalia is picking out all the olives from her pizza, sticking them in Jason's blonde hair without him noticing it. Piper noticing her boyfriend's hair, attempts to stop her giggles by stuffing her face with food. I sigh with satisfaction. This is it. My perfect family with my not so perfect but still amazing people. Percy constantly annoying me, Thalia teasing her brother, Piper and me quietly laughing at the cousins' antics.

I forgot for once though that there is no rose without a thorn. I didn't realise that this was just the calm before the storm. That my life is soon going to take a turn for the better or for the worst.


	3. Chapter 3

**Guys I've changed the summary a bit. Just have a look at it.**

Percy's pov:

2 years. It has been 2 years since _that_ day but it seems as if it's been decades. Everyone knows about my trips to Greece during the vacations. But they don't know about the trip two years ago- about what happened during those two months of summer vacations. I haven't told anyone about it. Not even Annabeth, who even knows the colour of my favourite boxer. Just mom and dad know about it because- well, they were there at that time. I'm not sure why haven't told anyone about it yet. I guess its something I want to keep to myself because it's too important for me to be just shared with anyone- even if that anyone is my best friend of 9 years.

Annabeth knows almost everything about me. Almost. She's my best friend. I share all my happy and best moments with her. I make her share her worst, unhappy moments with me. I always try to be there for her, whenever she needs me and she does the same for me. I know it.

I met her through Thalia at school when I was 9 and had just joined Goode High. Her striking grey eyes boring into mine, analyzing everything, as if finding the best way possible to take me down. I found her really annoying at the beginning, but over the years she has grown onto me.

She slaps my hand away as I attempt to steal her fries. I try to persuade her using my best baby seal face but she just rolls her eyes at me. Guess she's used to it now. Well bad for me, I was hungry.

As I sit here under this tree watching my family I think about the many, many things I haven't told these guys about. They think I don't notice the looks, winks and smiles I get from the girls at Goode- sometimes from guys too, believe me. But I do. I recognize their obvious attempts at flirting with me, making a move on me. I know about the bets and rumours going on in school about my relationship with wise girl. I love her, true- but only as a best friend. They may not believe it, but I know it, wise girl knows it and that is enough for me. Thalia and Jason have tried to persuade me to ask her out because they believe I have a crush on her. Piper hasn't though. I suspect she believes me.

"THALIA!" Jason exclaims, snapping me out of my thoughts. Guess he finally realized he has olives stuck in his hair. He shakes them off his hair while Thalia laughs her ass off. Piper is giggling with Annabeth and me watching them in amusement.

I get lost in my thoughts once again. I love these people, believe me- but I can't help but keep it a secret. We watch the as the sun goes down the horizon, tinting the sky in various shades of red and orange. One of the reasons I love this tree is because of the beautiful view of the sunset and the moon from here. It reminds of my time there which is why I often come here at night to just silently watch the moon, reminiscing those summers.

I drive Annabeth home singing along to the radio with her on our way. I drop her off yelling a quick goodbye and making my way towards my apartment.

The smell freshly baked cookies and muffins instantly hit me as soon as open the door to my apartment. I go towards the kitchen where mom is taking out a batch of blue goodies from the oven.

"Hey mom" I greet her, kissing her on the cheek, picking up a blue chocolate muffin at the same time. I quickly bite into it forgetting that it just came out of the oven, hence slightly burning my tongue and quickly gulping down a glass of water. Mom just shakes her head at me, ruffles my hair and continues cooking dinner.

"I talked to Poseidon today about your trip to Greece after graduation. He's really happy and looking forward to meet your friends for the first time. Fortunately he'll be staying there most of the time." Mom tells me smiling.

"That's great. Annabeth knows about it now because Thalia couldn't keep her mouth shut." I say. I'm pleased though as my dad is going to be there during the vacation. My dad, Poseidon Jackson is the billionaire owner of Poseidon Cruises- the top luxury cruise line in the world- one of the many things my friends and cousins don't know about. Even Annabeth. I mean I know they suspect I'm quite well off- that much was obvious from whatever little information I gave them about my dad- but they don't know the extent of it. I guess I never told them about it because I didn't want them to treat me any differently after knowing that I was the heir of a top billionaire company- though I suspect they wouldn't even if I told them- one of the many reasons I love them.

I can't help but get nervous about our trip to Greece. Was it a wrong decision? Because many truths and secrets may be disclosed there. Things I should have told them about. I was against the idea of going to Greece but mom and dad persuaded me that everyone would enjoy the trip and it would be a nice change.

Mom, as if reading my thoughts puts a comforting hand on my shoulder and says "don't worry about it much Percy. They may get angry at you for hiding the truth, but they'll understand. They all love you. I know you will thank me later for this trip." She winks at me, kissing my forehead and going off to sleep leaving me to my thoughts.

I can't help but think of the consequences of this trip as I lay on bed with the moonlight coming in from my window. Mom thinks I'm worried about them finding out the truth of my dad. But that's just a part of it.

They know me as the kind, funny, oblivious, seaweed brain friend. The one who plays pranks, is an expert in annoying people, oblivious to the thousands of girls falling at his feet.

They don't know about my other side. The one which reveals itself in Greece. The one who often handles my father's company, who takes the decisions for the company when Poseidon Jackson is away for work, who is already trained, ready and capable to run the billionaire business on his own- at the age of eighteen.

That again is just a part of the many things they don't know about Perseus Jackson.

I finally drift off to sleep gazing at the glowing white moonlace on my window sill- my biggest secret.

 **Guys give me your reviews and suggestions please. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

Annabeth's pov:

6 months fly by in the blink of an eye. I was elected the valedictorian for our graduation ceremony. Dad and Sally got a bit emotional during the ceremony, but they were happy nonetheless. Piper captured all these memorable moments in her camera.

Now to back to the present. I'm here at Percy's helping him pack clothes for our trip to Greece, although he already has some clothes at his house back in Greece. 'Helping' him basically means me doing all the work with him sprawled over the bed with blue cookies. I take out the list of things needed to be packed which I had made for myself, and tally it with Percy's stuff. Jeans- yes. Shirts-yes. Belts-yes. Cap and sunglasses-nope, I'll have to add that. Underwear- err, yes. He just threw in his favourite blue boxers. Passport-yep. Found it after searching for it for an hour.

"Blue food?" Percy asks me from the bed. You see, Sally is not coming with us because of her job here, so seaweed brain persuaded her to pack him a box of blue food to have at the airport. We are more than happy at the arrangement though because no one minds having Sally's food.

"Yes seaweed brain, the box is ready. Just don't wolf it down before we even reach the airport." I say, not sure if I'll find the box full tomorrow or not.

Did I mention we're leaving tomorrow? It'll be a long 10 hour flight with these cousins though.

"No promises wise girl" he says grinning, his eyes twinkling with mischief, which means I'll have to witness another fight among the cousins over a box of blue food.

We'll be staying there for two whole months which means I'll have enough time to see all the places I've made a list of. I was a bit surprised when dad allowed me to go to Greece for 2 months. Mr Grace easily allowed Thalia and Jason to come with us because it's his brother's house after all. Plus, Thalia wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyway. Piper's dad, seeing as all her friends were going and staying in Percy's house, allowed her too.

This more like a break than a trip. A break before we go to universities. The best thing though? All five of us have been accepted into universities in New York itself. So we'll still be seeing each other.

I can't help but notice though, that Percy seems kind of nervous ever since we started discussing the trip after graduation. Thalia, Jason, Pipes- all are pumped up and excited for the vacation. But something just seems off about Percy. I know every little habit of his. The way he shifts uncomfortably, the way his eyes never meet ours, the way he occasionally clears his throat, runs his fingers through hair, tugs at them- all indicate that there is something wrong. It's barely noticeable, but no one knows him better than me. From his habit of drooling in sleep to the little crease he gets in between his eyebrows when thinking hard- I know and am familiar with all these habits of his. So I know when he's not acting normal, I notice when something constantly bothers him.

"Percy, Annabeth dinner's ready!" Sally calls from the kitchen.

I've completed packing now. We head downstairs and have Sally's delicious pasta- not blue in colour though this time and spend the rest of the time watching Friends, laying on the couch, my feet on his lap.

It's 10 when I finally leave for my house. Our flight leaves at 10 pm tomorrow and I want to get a good night's sleep before the long flight. I instantly go off to sleep as soon as I hit my bed.

TIME SKIP

"Be safe and call me once you reach there alright?" my dad tells me as I prepare to leave for the airport.

"Yes dad I will and for the third time Helen, yes I've kept everything I need and crosschecked twice- just as you told me to. Now don't worry" I say to my dad and stepmother.

I give them both a tight hug and ruffle my twin stepbrothers' hair before taking a cab to the airport.

The five of us meet outside the airport- as decided and guess what? Seaweed brain has already cleaned half the box of blue food.

"Not fair Jackson, you're not getting anymore now." Jason complains as we wait to board our flight. The three cousins continue to bicker over food as Piper and me ignore them- and the looks we are getting from people nearby.

I sigh with relief once we land in Athens. Thalia and Jason spent the whole time arguing over the best flavour of ice cream- mature, I know. Somewhere in between their fight Percy dozed off with his head on my shoulder, drooling. I was thank full that Jason was starting to feel sleepy and decided to join his sleeping girlfriend, thus breaking the fight. I swear these were the longest 10 hours of my life.

A car is already waiting for us when we land. My eyes take in the beauty of the city as we go on our way towards Percy's house. The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by ancient monuments and works of art. It retains Roman monuments. Statues and busts can be found all over the city.

I've already done a lot of research before coming here. Athens incorporates architectural styles ranging from Greco-Roman to modern times. Athens, the birthplace of democracy is renowned for some of the world's greatest cultural monuments like the Parthenon, the enduring symbol of Ancient Greek beauty. Thanks to the rapid advancement in the field of archaeology and monument preservations, most of the historical edifices of Athens are very well preserved even to this day. My list includes many places for me to visit such as The Temple of Olympian Zeus, The Temple of Hephaestus, The theatre of Dionysus, The Acropolis and many more. I'll make sure to visit all these places because I may not get this opportunity again.

Once I snap out of my thoughts I realise we are going towards huge metal gates with intricate carvings, the bronze gates glinting in the sunlight. We go down a driveway lined with cherry trees- cut and trimmed to perfection. The driveway wounds around a magnificent marble fountain with a couple kingfishers perched on it, it's clear water sparkling under the sunlight. A beautiful house, no mansion comes into the view. The house is a perfect mixture of brick, wood and glass. They may not sound good together, but they combine perfectly. The elegant marble porch, mahogany doors with wood carvings, huge ceiling to floor windows in the upper levels of the house, and the brick walls- a perfect combination of old and new. It seems like an old mansion- a centuries old property- with slight modifications and renovations. But trust me it's a perfect combination. I would love to meet the architect of this property.

"uh Percy, where are we?" Thalia asks breaking me out of my reverie. I then realise that everyone is gaping at the mansion in awe- everyone except Percy who seems nervous.

I have the same question as Thalia's though. Where are we? Because this seems like something an elite, a billionaire would own. I've been to Thalia's house on several occasions but believe me that is nothing compared to this property here- even though her father owns an airline. Because I can tell there is much more to this property than what we see now, behind those mahogany gates. Many more things yet to be discovered about this extravagant manor.

"Welcome to The Poseidon Villa guys- your home for the next two months." Percy says, making his way towards the mansion's doors.


	5. Chapter 5

Percy's pov:

Generally, my private jet would come to fly me to Athens. I could easily take everyone along with me in it, but I didn't want to disclose the truth just yet. I was procrastinating, but they were ought to find out the truth sooner or later. Although Thalia and Jason are my cousins, they don't know much about my father because we never talk about him, and neither does her father.

As I stand here in front of my house, watching everyone gape at it in awe, I know I can stall no longer.

"Welcome to The Poseidon Villa guys- your home for the next two months." I say and go towards the doors.

Sara opens the door and smiles widely at me, before I even get the chance to knock. This happens each and every time I come here. Somehow, she always knows when I have reached door and opens it just as I am about to knock.

I chuckle slightly and say "still not going to tell me how you do that?" I ask her referring to the door incident.

"Never" she says smiling, opening the door wider for my friends to enter. Sara, a middle aged woman, has been our housekeeper for years now and is almost like my second mother. She has changed my diapers, run around the house trying to catch me and feed me, and is one of the people who know about _it,_ because she was there that time.

Annabeth's gasps and the everyone's eyes widen even more- if that's even possible. I can see her grey eyes roaming around, taking it all in. I knew she would love the interior even more. The entire house has got teak wood flooring and antique furniture along with modern furnishings. Actually this centuries old property was handed down to dad by his father. But to keep up with the modern world and with the advancement in technology over the time, dad decided to slightly renovate and add or change a few things, meanwhile keeping it's old glory intact. The large old chandelier still hung from the ceiling, dripped with the best cut diamonds and made from gold, emitting a soft yellow light. Surrounding an old mahogany coffee table with a marble top and carved legs were elegant, spotless cream couches- without a crease or a speck of dust- facing an 85 inch flat screen TV. An old, beautiful brick and bronze fireplace is placed to the side with a plush armchair in front of it. Soft, clean curtains cover the windows and beautiful paintings costing a fortune made by renowned artists cover the walls.

"Hey son" dad says coming down the wooden staircase. He's dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts. It's not often you see Poseidon Jackson dresses so casually. He's got salt and pepper hair and crinkles around his sea green eyes.

He pulls me into a tight hug, patting my back and looks towards my friends smiling.

"Dad this is Annabeth- my best friend, Thalia and Jason- uncle Zeus' children, and Piper- Jason's girlfriend." I say introducing everyone as they shake hands with dad.

"I'm glad to finally meet you all. I've heard so much from him about you. Percy can guide you all to your rooms so you can all freshen up while Sara sets up the dining table. You must all be hungry after your long journey." He says smiling kindly at them.

"Come on guys" I say, making my way up the stairs.

Once we start our way down the carpeted hall, walls decorated with old paintings depicting warriors and angles, towards the rooms, Jason stops me by the arm and asks, "dude, who _is_ your father?!"

"Poseidon Jackson" I reply, sighing.

Annabeth's eyes widen with recognition and Thalia opens her mouth to say something but I quickly cut them off, not wanting to discuss it now.

"Look guys, we can talk about it later. Let's freshen up and have some food first?"

Piper probably hearing the desperation in my voice says, "I think he's right. It has been a long journey for all of us. I'm sure he'll explain everything later."

I send her a grateful smile and glance towards Annabeth, promising her to explain everything later.

They reluctantly agree. Thalia and Annabeth choose a room each and Jason and Piper decide to stay together in a room.

I go towards my room at the end of the hallway, and instantly get into the shower, my tense shoulders relaxing.

Annabeth's pov:

I had always assumed Percy's father to be earning a fairly good income, but I definitely didn't expect _this._ I never imagined that his father would be billionaire, because he never said anything regarding his father's identity. Just that his father has a good business running in Greece and is busy most of the time. I'm surprised- yes, because I was not expecting this at all. And I know Thalia and Jason had no idea about it either, despite of them being his cousins. Piper seemed just as shocked as all of us when he said his father was Poseidon Jackson. I knew I had seen that face somewhere when I first saw his dad come down the stairs. And no, its not because Percy is an exact copy of him. It's because I had seen the billionaire Poseidon Jackson on the television and in the magazines, and I had read a few articles regarding his luxurious cruises and other projects. However, along with being surprised I'm also kind of hurt that Percy never told me about it. We share every little thing with each other- we have been doing it since we were 9. We have never hidden anything from each other. Many things which Thalia and the others do not know about him- I know. Which is why I'm his best friend- because I know him the best out of us all. The same thing applies to him. Things which I do not want to share with Thalia or Piper, I tell him-Everything. He knows me in and out. So I have to know why he hid such a thing from me. And I'm definitely going to find that out after lunch.

I open the door to my room, while thinking all this, and gasp- once again. I've been doing that a lot since I entered this mansion. The room is four times the size of my room back in New York. The wooden flooring is covered with a soft cream carpet. There is a king sized bed covered in grey comforters along a wall which is placed directly in front of a speckless ceiling to floor glass window, giving a beautiful view of the garden outside. Soft, white curtains covers the window. There is a bedside table with a lamp on it and a mahogany desk and chair placed in one side of the room. The other side consists of a huge flat screen TV with a loveseat opposite it. I open a door to a smaller room- which is of the size of my room back in New York. It has got wooden shelves and hangers to accommodate more clothes than I could ever have along with a dressing table. A mirror covers a large portion of one of the walls with enough space to comfortably change clothes. At the other end of the room I notice another door. It leads to a bathroom almost as big as the room- consisting a shower and Jacuzzi. I sigh, considering finding out the differences between a seven star hotel and this house- if you can even call it a house.

TIME SKIP

I didn't think anything else would surprise me after the lavish dining room. The carved, polished, dining table had a silver serving train running along its length at the centre. The table had 9 seats on either sides and two seats at its ends, making it a long 20 seater dining table- and there were six of us. The train was filled with a variety of food, ranging from fruits and salads to brownies and cupcakes to different types of wine- many of their names unheard by me.

Now back to the present. So I didn't think anything would surprise me anymore after the serving train, but of course I was proven wrong when Mr Jackson suggested Percy to give us a tour of the mansion. We first saw the gym, the theatre room and the game room in his basement.

The thing that really surprised me though?- the backside of the mansion.

Here I am now standing before the Jackson's own, personal runway for their private jet in the backside of the mansion.

"Spill. Now." Thalia says in a warning tone, meaning she is not going to take no for an answer.

"Come on up. I'll tell you on the terrace" Percy says sighing and running his fingers through his hair.

The terrace is the only place we haven't seen yet, and let me tell you the spa, sauna and the Olympic sized rooftop swimming pool didn't surprise me much. It was kind of expected after a private jet and a garden the size of a football field.

We sit on the lounge chairs beside the pool as Percy starts explaining.

"I didn't want to hide anything from you guys. Honestly. But I had just moved to New York and you were the first people I met at school. I didn't want to loose you guys. I thought that if I told you about my father, you would start treating me differently- because that's what happened when I studied here. People just talked to me because I was Poseidon Jackson's son and had a couple of cool cars. So when I met you all, I kept shut. I know now though that you guys would never do that to me, never be friends with me just because I'm a billionaire's son, because you all love me and I you. I know that now. I know I could have- No. I _should_ have told you about it earlier, but it just didn't seem so important to me then. It still doesn't. So...yeah, you know." Percy says as we take a moment to register his words.

"Oh Percy, we love you for what you are. Rich or not- it doesn't matter, not to us at least. Right guys?" Piper asks looking towards us. We all nod our heads.

"Besides seaweed brain, we are not that easy to get rid off. Actually we're impossible to get rid off, so you better not think that way anymore. We love you, and I know that you know that. But we need to be reminded once in a while that there are people out there who love us- the real us. And that's okay, because everyone needs that reminder- that's what we are there for." I say pulling him into a tight hug. His arms instantly wrap around me, his shoulders relaxing as if a huge weight has been lifted off them. He releases a sigh of relief and smiles widely at us once I release him from the hug.

"Plus, I needed a car to test my new driving skills and what better than the Lamborghini waiting for me downstairs" Thalia says referring to his collection of cars in the garage and trying to lighten the mood.

"And I definitely need to check out the pool. It's been a week since I had a proper swim." Jason adds looking towards the pool.

"I don't what I would do without you guys." Percy says smiling softly at all of us.

"I doubt you could find your way out of a paper bag without us cuz" Thalia says smirking at him.

"True" Jason says grinning.

"Hey!" Percy protests and the three start quarrelling over who can come out of a paper bag faster- not considering the fact that they wouldn't even fit in one to begin with.

Piper and me roll our eyes and watch them in amusement, smiling at our crazy family.


	6. Chapter 6

Annabeth's pov:

We don't get to see Percy the next morning.

"He didn't want to leave before meeting you all, but he was getting late for work and finally left at 9" Sara told us during the breakfast. I wasn't quite sure what she meant by 'work' though. We all woke up late today, around 11, because of the exhausting day yesterday. I always thought Percy to be someone who didn't wake up before 10 in the morning because he would always get cranky whenever someone tried to wake him up early.

My phone rings with Seaweed Brain written above a picture of us laughing and leaning on each other. I immediately answer the call.

"Hey wise girl, all of you awake yet?" he asks.

"Yes seaweed brain, we're having breakfast right now. But whereare _you_?" I ask him.

"I'm sorry wise girl, I know I shouldn't have left before meeting you all, but dad forced me to leave by 9. I'll join you guys later though. Promise. David will take good care of you till then, he knows every street, every corner of this city. Just tell him wherever you guys wanna go. I'll join you guys at lunch."

I sigh in defeat. I'm a bit disappointed because I thought Percy would be the one showing me around the city. David is his driver and the one appointed to give us a tour of the city.

"Alright seaweed brain, but you better show up at lunch." I reply.

"Sure thing wise girl. See you later then, love you." He says before cutting the call.

I smile softly at his last words feeling a flutter in my stomach. It happens every time he tells me he loves me- a flutter in my stomach, a smile on my face, a twinkle in my eyes.

"Why so happy Annie?" Thalia asks me, munching her food. I open my mouth to reply but Jason interrupts me.

"Whoa, she didn't even glare at you for calling her Annie and that happens only when Percy's around" he says smirking at me.

"Of course, she didn't glare at me. It was her boyfriend calling her after all. So, what did he say?" Thalia asks looking at me.

I roll my eyes at the siblings and say "he said he was sorry, he couldn't meet us before leaving and that he'll join us at lunch."

"Cool, then what are we waiting for let's go!" Piper says standing up. She's almost as excited as I am to explore Athens.

We go outside towards the black Porsche waiting for us. A guy, probably in his mid thirties, opens the door for us to climb in. He's dressed in black pants and a button-down shirt with polished black shoes. He has got light brown hair with sunglasses covering his eyes, and from his muscular build and height, you can tell he's quite handsome. He climbs into the driver's seat so I assume he's David.

"We would like to go see the Parthenon first." I tell him as soon as he starts the car. He simply nods his head, not uttering a single word throughout the ride.

The Parthenon is regarded as the finest example of Greek architecture and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments, which is why I wanted to see it first. It's a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron. Seeing it for myself was probably one of the best moments of my life. It stood on a platform of three steps surrounded by pillars. I took all the notes I could about it and hundreds of pictures from Piper's camera.

David then silently took us to a small, cosy restaurant when we told him to take us somewhere for lunch. He has still not uttered a word.

We take a seat in an empty booth and order some food while waiting for Percy.

He comes in after about 15 minutes, dressed in black jeans and a light blue shirt showing his muscular build. His raven black hair, defined jaw line, and Ray Ban sunglasses instantly captures the attention of the females present in the restaurant.

I wave at him to help him find his way towards our booth.

"Hey guys. Started eating without me already?" he says coming over to us while stealing Piper's fries. I grin at him as he takes a seat beside me.

"How did you like the Parthenon wise girl?" he asks once he has ordered his pizza.

"How did you even know we went to the Parthenon today?" Thalia asks.

"David told me of course" he answers as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. It probably is except for the the fact that I haven't heard the guy speak a word yet.

"I find him creepy. He hasn't spoken a word yet. And he carries a gun." Jason mutters.

"He carries a gun for safety, kind of like a bodyguard. And he doesn't speak to everyone except for a few, but he's really nice once you get to know him" Percy says defending him.

"I loved the Parthenon! I took lots of notes and pictures, the architecture was so amazing and did you know it has got..." I reply to his question and then continue telling him about the structure and history of the Parthenon which he probably didn't listen to, but I so wanted to share it's information with someone.

The rest of the lunch was spent eating, laughing and enjoying the afternoon, with Percy occasionally getting up to receive 'important' calls.

We all finally leave for home along with Percy.

We spend the rest of the time after an early dinner in Percy's garage on Thalia's request, exploring his collection of cars and bikes. He has like 7 cars and 3 bikes. He explains each of their features in detail and with fascination to an equally fascinated Thalia.

With the way his eyes light up and he smiles while explaining, you can tell he loves his cars. He has even named each one of them. Go figure.

Although I don't understand much of what he is saying about his cars as he and Thalia are the only ones with an obsession and knowledge about them, I enjoy seeing him this way. The way his soft black hair sways slightly as he shakes his head, the way his gorgeous sea green eyes seem even more mesmerizing in the garage's soft yellow light, the way he moves those muscular arms of his while explaining something, the way he laughs heartily in his deep, beautiful voice and the way his perfect lips move as he speaks- I love it all.

Someone snaps their fingers in front of my face, moving my attention from Percy.

"I've said your name thrice now Annabeth" Piper says frowning.

"Are you all right?" she asks glancing towards Percy, then back to me.

"Oh, she's perfectly alright Pipes, just a bit busy staring at her boyfriend" Jason says smirking, putting an arm around Piper's waist.

I blush slightly as I realize I was staring at Percy. And was caught doing it.

"He's my best friend Jason" I say removing all thoughts of his luscious lips from my mind.

"Did Annabeth Chase just blush?" Jason asks in wonder, his eyes widening.

I roll my eyes at him, lightly punching him in the stomach, muttering a shut up.

Percy and Thalia come towards us from the other end of the garage where they were seeing the bikes.

"It's like 11 now guys, we should go to sleep" Percy says leading the way out and locking the garage behind us.

"You guys wanna go to the beach tomorrow?" he asks as we are about to go to our rooms.

"Sounds great" Piper says and we all nod in agreement. After a chorus of good nights , we all head to our own rooms.

I hear a knock at my door just as I am about to go to sleep. I open it to reveal Thalia and Piper standing at my door in pajamas. I raise an eyebrow in question but move aside nonetheless to let them in.

They immediately seat themselves on my bed as I close the door and do the same.

"Jason told me about what happened today in the garage" Thalia says grinning at me. Piper looks deep in thought.

"About what?" I ask in confusion, slightly tilting my head.

Thalia rolls her eyes and says "about how you were staring at Percy the whole time."

I sigh. They are not going to let that go easily.

"What about it Thalia? He's my best friend and always will be. Nothing more than that." I say in exasperation.

"But it's so obvious you like him Annabeth! I've seen you staring at him when you think no one's watching. You may not realize it yet, but you like him, you really do. And not just as a best friend. You've been best friends with him for what- 8 years? 9 years? When are you going to realize what your heart really wants? For once, see him as a man, a handsome and kind man who has always been there for you since 9 years, who has never let you down, who always takes care you and who will never intentionally hurt you. You never blush Annabeth. Never- except for when you're around him. The way your eyes light up, the way you smile whenever he is around- it all shows how much you like him, love him even. Just realize it before it's too late Annabeth. It's been like 9 years already. You are one of the smartest people I know and for once, let your heart guide you, not your brain. We love you Annabeth and we know Percy makes you happy, really happy. I can't force you into anything, but just think about it okay? For once, see him not just as your best friend but as someone you would want to spend the rest of your life with." She finishes.

I'm still trying to register her words. Sure, she and Jason have always teased me about him being my boyfriend or me having a crush on him. They do the same to him too. But I never paid much attention to it. This time though, Thalia seems serious. Like really serious, and it's not often you get to see her like that.

She smiles softly and goes out the door muttering a good night.

Piper sighs and says "well, she has already said everything. But seriously just think about it alright? You're a smart girl Annabeth, and the earlier you figure it out, the better. I saw how hurt you were when he didn't tell you about his father, I saw the disappointed look on your face when he left without meeting you today morning, I saw how your face lit up when he joined us for lunch and I saw how you were looking at him in complete adoration at the garage today. Listen to your heart for once and maybe you'll be happier than you are now."

She hugs me tightly and leaves the room.

I switch off the lights and lie down on the bed with a sigh. I never thought of Percy as more than just my best friend. Thalia and Piper's words keep repeating in my mind again and again as I try to find reasons for why I shouldn't be more than just best friends with him. As I drift off to sleep thinking about a green eyed black haired boy, I realize that there are none. No reasons for me to not love him.


	7. Chapter 7

Annabeth's pov:

I wear my grey bikini to the beach today. Piper is sunbathing, and I'm sitting beside her reading a book, not really in the mood to go into the water. The three cousins are trying to dunk each other's head into the water, with Percy currently winning.

Percy's six pack abs, V line and muscular arms are in full view and with his black hair, bright sea green eyes and sun kissed skin he is gathering a lot of female attention. A lot. Which I'm not liking very much.

"Pipes, Annabeth, come on! It's so much fun here!" Jason calls out us.

Piper gets up and holds out a hand for me.

"You coming?" she asks.

"Sure" I reply closing my book and taking her hand.

We run up to them and are immediately splashed with cold sea water as soon as we are within the range. I laugh and instantly join their dunking the heads game, successfully dunking Piper's and Thalia's head. We don't really get to go to the beach in New York, so this is a rare opportunity for us

The guys later go to swim and surf, claiming it's been too long since they had a good swim-which earns them a lot of flirtatious winks and smiles, causing Piper to pull her boyfriend out of the water. She thankfully brings Percy along with her too.

After a delicious lunch made by Sara which we brought along with us, we all sit down on the beach, looking at the sunset, just as we used to do at the tree.

Jason has his arm around Piper and Thalia is taking pictures of the sunset. I lean my head on Percy's shoulder. It feels good. I feel safe and happy- Just sitting here with my favourite people in the world, staring out at the sea reflecting the sky's colours with a gentle wind blowing my hair. Percy looks deep in thought, his eyes having a faraway look. He has a sad smile on his face, as if remembering a bittersweet memory. I often see that look on his face whenever we are at the tree, gazing at the sunset. I always wonder what has him so lost in his thoughts during those times because it's not often you see that distant look Percy Jackson's face.

He's kind of like the glue that keeps us together with his funny and kind attitude. His jokes and smiles are the ones that makes my day- not only mine, everyone's. I know that because whenever he's not around it feels as if something is just incomplete, just wrong. It's an uncomfortable feeling one does not want to feel. And I know everyone feels the same way because I've seen them miss him whenever he is busy in swim practice or not around during the vacations. Yes, we do enjoy within ourselves during those times, but his absence is always felt. The way he steals my food, teases Jason, always takes Piper's side in a fight, purposely annoys Thalia- we miss it all in his absence.

So in times like these, when he seems so detached and withdrawn, like he's in his own world, it feels as if he is revealing a part of himself which he has always hid behind those smile. As if we are just now seeing the true Percy Jackson. But maybe I am wrong. At least I hope I am.

"Let's go guys" Percy suddenly says, snapping out of his thoughts.

We all gather up our things and head back home. After a light dinner we all go to sleep early. I immediately crash down on my bed as soon as I change, tired from my day at the beach.

I can't help but think about what Thalia and Piper said to me yesterday. It's true. He won't ever let me down, I know that. I have always loved the way he laughs, slightly clutching his stomach. You could get lost in those sea green eyes of his. His soft black hair makes me want to run my fingers through it. His soft pink lips makes me want know how they would feel against mine. His tanned, muscular body makes me want to run my hands over his defined abs. The little crease he gets when thinking hard, the little frown he gets on his face when he is sad, the way he pouts at me slightly puckering his lips, the way his alluring eyes widen slightly when he is excited over something, the way he says he loves me, the way he's a complete mama's boy and kisses and hugs her as soon as he gets home, his weird obsession with blue food, his love for skating and swimming- I love it all. It's an endless list.

I didn't like it when girls were trying to flirt with him at the beach. I was relieved when Piper brought Percy along with Jason, away from the girls' stares.

I suddenly realize I have _never_ liked the way schoolgirls fawned over him. I never liked it when girls would come up to him, asking him out. I always thought it was because I was annoyed of them going after a boy. But I think I know what it was now. Jealousy. I was happy that he was always oblivious to the attention he was getting. I was secretly relieved whenever he turned down a girl. I didn't realize it yet, but I do now. Every hug he gave me, every peck on the cheek or on the forehead I got- they meant a lot to me. I now understand the flutters I get in my stomach every time he says he loves me.

And maybe, just maybe, I am falling in love with my best friend.

Maybe I always _have_ been in love with him and just never realized it until now.

Percy's pov:

I am really tired from my day at the beach today. The resurfacing memories during the sunset didn't help either.

Someone knocks at my door just as I am about to call the night off.

Dad is standing there at my door when I open it.

"May I come in?" he asks raising an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Of course dad" I say stepping aside and closing the door behind him.

I sit opposite to him on the bed and wait for him to say something. He just looks at me for some time before sighing and slightly ruffling my hair.

"You've grown taller son. Your hair too" he says cracking a smile, the crinkles around his eyes showing.

"Yeah I have to get a haircut soon" I say running a hand through my hair. It's true. Mom and Annabeth both have been pestering me for a long time now to get a haircut.

He sighs again, looking down at his hands, then meeting my eyes again.

"I'm sorry Perseus I haven't been able to give you much time since you arrived" he says using my real name. I hate it when they call me by that.

"It's Percy, dad. And it's alright, I understand" I say smiling sincerely.

"I read the files by the way. The ones you told me to go through yesterday. I've made the required changes. Just go through them once more" I say referring to the files I went through yesterday.

He chuckles and says "2 years Percy. It has been 2 years since you have been handling this old man's company. Even in New York, you approve and correct files and projects via email. I completely trust you with your work now son. Just send the files directly to the clients."

"Fine dad" I say sighing.

He always does this. He says I've learnt well. And he believes that I will take the correct decisions. I remind him I'm eighteen and haven't even started going to the university yet, hence completely capable of making mistakes one wouldn't want to in a billionaire business. He just chuckles and says 'Oh, but you're much wiser Percy, and I just taught you to utilise that sharp brain of yours to it's full potential. Moreover, if you ever make a mistake, I'm always here to pull you by the ear and teach you the correct way.'

"So, how's Sally?" he asks me, bringing me back to the present.

"She's good. About to complete her book which is why she couldn't come this time." I reply smiling. Mom's going to publish her first book soon which is why she's quite busy right now.

"That's great. She sent me your graduation pictures you know, since I couldn't be there myself. You don't how badly I wanted to be there for you that day. But know that I'm really proud of you son." He says smiling proudly at me.

"So tell me about that blonde friend of yours" he says changing the subject, a playful smile on his face.

"Jason you mean?" I ask knowing that he was referring to Annabeth.

He rolls his eyes at me and says "you know who I'm talking about."

"Annabeth's just my best friend dad. Nothing more." I say sighing. I don't know why everyone thinks of us as a couple.

He looks deep in thought and observes me carefully for a few minutes. I know he believes it when I say I see her as nothing more than my best friend. That's the thing about my dad. He knows when I'm telling the truth and am absolutely sure about something. Most importantly, he believes that I'm capable of making my own decisions now.

"You sure she feels the same way Percy?" he finally asks me frowning.

"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion.

"Nothing" he says shaking his head. "I'll let you people figure it out yourselves."

"Good night Perseus" he says smirking at the use of my original name and pats my shoulder before leaving the room.

"Percy, dad!" I call out as he leaves the room chuckling.

I finally go off to sleep, thinking of all the work I have to do tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

Percy's pov:

The ringing of my phone wakes me up at 7 in the morning. I pick it up to see Kim, my assistant, calling me. Yes, I have an assistant and my own personal office to work in.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you at this hour of the morning sir, but it's important" she says warily as soon as I answer the call.

You see, employees at the office are a bit wary of me. Okay, a lot maybe- according to dad. He says they prefer speaking to him and getting yelled at by him rather than by me. I still don't understand why though. I don't like it when work's not completed on time or done incorrectly, so I'm often pissed off at them- for the right reasons though. Dad is quite cool for the owner of a billionaire business, so the employees get along with him pretty well. Because of this I'm always met with a bunch of lazy assess when I return to the office during the vacations. So, Itry to get them back in line as soon as possible. Which happens almost instantly as soon as I enter the office.

"I hope it's important enough to wake me up. Speak" I say, trying not to sound groggy.

"Sir we need you to check and approve Poseidon III's repairing charges and send confirmation to send it to the dockyard before it sets sail for its next trip- which is day after tomorrow. We'll have to do it now if we want it ready by tomorrow- which we definitely do. The workers can fix it in time only if they get to start in...in about another two hours."

I sigh and get up from the bed, rubbing my eyes. Poseidon III is our best and currently the world's top luxury cruise. Any other cruise wouldn't have required my attention to send it for repairing, but dad has basically handed down the cruise and it's responsibilities to me. Completely. So I try my best to maintain it's position as world's number one. Which means I make sure I am informed about every little problem it has and is presented in it's best condition in front of the world.

"I'll be there in an hour" I finally say.

"Thank you sir" she says before I cut the call.

I quickly take a refreshing shower and wear my dark Armani suit because of a meeting I have today with some clients. Yes, I was going to go the office today anyway. Just have to leave a bit early than usual today.

Dad is out in the garden having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper when I get out of the house.

"I've got to leave a bit early today. See you later dad." I say to him as I get into the car David already has ready for me. I had texted him to get a car ready for me before going for a bath.

He starts driving through the streets of Athens, towards our office.

"I'll be bit late tonight. Make sure to give them a proper tour, kay?" I tell him, thinking about how I left the house and probably wouldn't be seeing them throughout day- without telling them. Again.

"Sure" he says nodding, paying attention to the road. "So...any new dates, girlfriends, or flings?" he asks raising an eyebrow, momentarily looking towards me before turning back to the road ahead. See? He _does_ talk.

"Why do you ask the same question every year, when you know the answer is always going to be a no?" I reply sighing. We are closer than we may seem to be. He's more like a friend to me than a driver, and I trust him a lot. Not to mention he gives great advice.

"I thought maybe this year it would be different, with that blonde friend of yours." He says shrugging his shoulders. "Though I can tell you don't like her that way, do you?" he asks, slightly tilting his head.

"No, I don't. You got that right. She's my best friend and I love her." I tell him.

"Best friend, huh? So do these best friends and cousins of yours know about _it_?" he asks furrowing his eyebrows, genuinely curious.

"No, they don't. And I would like to keep it that way." I say looking pointedly at him, although I know he wouldn't open his mouth. He just shakes his head, smiling.

We finally reach the 60 storey building of Poseidon Cruise Line. It's a beautiful piece of modern architecture with glass covering majority of the building. The clean, reflecting glass constituting a major portion the building, may seem fragile, but it's unbreakable.

I go up to my office on the 54th floor and am instantly met by Kim who was probably waiting for me by the door. Kim is a pretty, young woman in her twenties- and one of my most trustworthy employees.

Not many people have arrived by now, but the few who have, look up at me and wish me good morning as I pass them.

"Good morning sir. This is the file needed to be approved. The rest of the details have been mailed to you." Kim says handing me a leather bound folder.

I simply nod and open the door to my office, the file in my hand. And see another pile of files on my desk, ready to be read, corrected and sent.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. It's going to be a long day today.

Annabeth's pov:

I go down for breakfast with a happy smile on my face today. It feels as if I'm truly happy, truly alive after 9 long years. As if the cocoon of ignorance I've been hiding behind, has finally cracked. Like I'm finally able to breathe. I realized last night that I have always been suppressing and ignoring my feelings for Percy, always stopping and preventing myself form thinking of him as more than my best friend. But the feelings have become too strong to be ignored now, too deep to be neglected now. And it feels good. To finally accept the truth, to finally recognize my wants, to finally understand my innermost desires- it all feels good. As if a curtain has finally been raised from before my eyes, finally showing me what I have always overlooked- showing me, making me realize that I have always been in love with my best friend.

"You look happy today Annabeth" Piper says as we all sit down for breakfast. My smile just grows wider as I shrug my shoulders.

"Where's Percy?" I ask not finding the person I most wanted to see today.

"Kelp head's left without informing us. Again." Thalia says rolling her eyes, stuffing her mouth with a chocolate muffin.

Almost instantly my smile vanishes and turns into a frown. I was looking forward to see him today morning. His beautiful eyes would bore into mine as he would kiss my forehead wishing me good morning, adorably calling me his wise girl.

"The car is waiting for you outside, once you are done with your breakfast." Sara tells us snapping me out of my imagination. Gods, I was acting like a love sick girl. Probably because I am one now.

"Car?" Jason asks, speaking the question on everyone's minds.

"For your tour of course" she says answering the question.

We quickly finish our meal and make our way towards the car waiting for us, with David beside it just like last time. I can't help but think about a certain green eyed boy. He didn't even call me during the breakfast this time.

"Will Percy be joining us for lunch like last time?" I ask David as soon as he starts the car. He simply shakes his head indicating a 'no'. My frown deepens, as I say "to The Temple of Olympian Zeus, please."

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a former colossal temple dedicated to Olympian Zeus at the centre of the Athens. It is a very important archaeological site of Greece. The temple is made up of expensive but high quality Pentelic marble and has a total of 104 columns. The sight of this marvellous structure diverted my mind from Percy. His absence was always felt though, now more than ever. I never realized how much his presence meant to me until now. He would put his arm around my shoulders and listen to me ramble on about the architecture of this place. If only he was here.

David takes us to different restaurant for lunch this time. We tried Greek food this time which wasn't that bad. Jason didn't like it much though. We reach home by 5 in the evening after roaming around the city a bit. And yes, David still hasn't spoken a word. Neither have we heard anything from Percy.

Jason spends the rest of his time in the game room along with Thalia and Piper, and I go up to the library. It's been too long since I read a good book. It often helps me sleep at night.

After a lavish dinner prepared and served by Sara, we all go to the living room on our floor and settle down on the comfortable couches for a movie night. Jason and Thalia fight over which movie to choose from Percy's extensive collection of movies, before we all agree to watch the Avengers series, starting from Captain America. Jason and Piper cuddle up in a loveseat, with me on one of the plush cream couches and Thalia sitting at my feet, her back leaning on the sofa.

Percy arrives during the second movie, at about 11:30 pm, and let me tell you I wasn't expecting what I saw.

There he was wearing black trousers and blazer over a button down white shirt with a simple but perfectly knotted tie. He looks better than ever. There is just something about men in suits which pleases me greatly. I've never seen Percy in a suit before and I daresay this is probably the hottest he has ever looked, even better than when he is without a shirt during swim practices. His spotless white shirt is tucked neatly into his trousers perfectly framing his body. His black blazer is unbuttoned and he attempts to loosen his tie, keeping the folder in his hand on a table. I can't seem to take my eyes off him, and am tempted to help him unknot that tie of his.

He runs a hand through his hair and says "hey, I didn't expect you all to be awake till now."

I realize all of us had been gaping at him before he brought us out of our thoughts.

"Mind telling us about this work of yours, and why I haven't ever seen you in a suit before today." Thalia asks narrowing her eyes.

He rubs the back of his neck and answers "well, I was just helping dad out with some work at the office...and you haven't seen me in a suit before because I don't really wear it much in New York."

I have a feeling he was doing a lot more than 'just helping' his dad at the office.

"You didn't even call me this time seaweed brain" I say frowning, trying not to stare at him as he finally succeeds in unknotting the tie with some difficulty.

"Yeah, sorry for that wise girl. I just couldn't take some time off to make a call or even leave a text, my schedule was that packed. Forgive me?" he asks slightly widening his eyes. How can I say no to those adorable eyes, especially when he looks so handsome?

"Fine" I say, my eyes softening and frown disappearing into a small smile. He has that effect on me. "Have you had your dinner?" I ask him, because knowing him he probably forgot.

"Sara's gonna set it up for me now, don't worry." He says smiling at me. He leans forward to peck me on the forehead and says "go to sleep wise girl, we'll talk properly tomorrow morning. I can tell you are all dead tired"

I wanted to protest and stay with him, but I knew it would be of no use. He wouldn't let me stay and insist I go to bed until I give in. So I just shake my head and say smiling "goodnight seaweed brain."

I leave the others and go towards my room, my forehead still tingling from the brush of his lips, a light blush covering my cheeks.

Percy's pov:

Soon everybody leaves the living room one by one, bidding me good night. I sigh and settle down on the couch, switching off the TV. That tie was finally off. I could easily and perfectly knot a tie, but always had difficulty unknotting it. Sara enters the room, a tray full of warm food in her hands. My mouth waters at the aroma of the delicious meal. Her cooking is almost as good as my mom's back in New York.

She sets down the tray on the coffee table in front of me as I play the paused movie everyone was watching earlier.

"Long day?" she asks smiling sympathetically at me.

"Yeah. A dozen files and emails along with two major meetings." I say before quickly wolfing down the meal. I didn't even have lunch today and Sara probably guessed that because she brought me double the amount of food she normally gets. I know shouldn't sleep after such a heavy meal, but I can't help it, I'm hungry.

"Slow down, will you?" she says looking amused. I merely shrug my shoulders as she brings me a glass of water.

She massages my tense shoulders for some time after I finish my dinner. I just close my eyes and lean my head back on the sofa, releasing a sigh of relief.

"Thank you ma, you're the best." I say to Sara. She told me once to call her Ma when I was younger, so that has been her name for me ever since. Also, she's kind of my second mom, so I often call her Ma.

"You should go to sleep too now" I say taking her hands away from my shoulders, gently kissing them.

"You too. Don't stay up now." she says before leaving the room. I get up switching off the TV and leave the room taking the file I brought along with me. I close my eyes, tired from the long, exhausting day.


	9. Chapter 9

Annabeth's pov:

Thalia, Jason, and Piper. All three of them enter my room together as soon as I finish getting dressed the next morning.

"Spill. Now." Thalia says as soon as they place themselves on my bed.

"What?" I ask feigning innocence. I know exactly what they want to know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell them easily.

"Well, you looked really happy yesterday. Like really happy" Jason says observing me carefully.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask raising my eyebrows, smiling slightly.

"And you were staring at Percy. The whole time." Thalia adds.

"And you were really sad the entire day until Percy came home at night." Piper says frowning at me with concern in her voice.

I take a deep breath. I may as well tell them now.

"I...I thought about what you two said the other day." I begin, looking towards Thalia and Piper "and...I love him" I quickly say looking down, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

Their eyes widen as they register what I just said.

"I knew it!" Thalia exclaims, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Whoa wait, hold on. So you like _love_ him? Like not that best friend love- like _love_ love him?" Jason asks, his eyes bulging out.

Piper facepalms at her boyfriend's reaction, but smiles happily towards me and says "I'm glad you finally realized it Annabeth. So, what now?"

"What do you mean" I ask furrowing my eyebrows.

Thalia rolls her eyes at me and says "she means what are you going to do about it now? I mean, you have to tell him sooner or later, right?"

I look down once I realize she's right. Of course, I have to tell him.

"You could tell him today only, you know? I mean the sooner, the better, right? Plus, it's been a week already since we came to Greece. I think you should tell him before we leave Greece. This vacation may help bring you two closer." Jason suggests.

"He's right, you know. Percy's far away from New York and his fangirls right now. I think it's the perfect time to confess how you truly feel about him. This 2 month long vacation- of which one week has already passed in the blink of an eye- will help you both think clearly about what you really want." Thalia adds looking at me hopefully.

"I won't force you into anything Annabeth, but I think the earlier you tell him, the better. This way he'll get more time to think about your confession. And telling him all this in his birthplace Athens is a great idea. This place may help him realize his feelings just like it did for you." Piper adds smiling over at me.

I go through their suggestions in my mind. I should tell him. Soon. I've been in love with Percy Jackson since I was 14. And only just realized it now. I think it's about time I tell my best friend that I've been in love with him for about 4 years now- and have had a crush on him since we were 9. He deserves to know the truth. _I_ owe it to myself to tell him the truth and confess my feelings. One thing though. What if I'm left heartbroken?- the thought that probably crosses every lover's mind, crosses mine too. I release a sigh, rubbing my eyes. I never thought I would see this day-fretting over whether I should confess my feelings for Percy or not. I always believed I loved him as a best friend. I was so sure of it, that I didn't even consider any other possibilities. Didn't consider the fact that maybe, just maybe, I love him as a woman loves a man. He has turned down each and every girl who has ever asked him out, when he could easily get any girl in the whole school. He has never dated, never had a girlfriend, never had any flings or one night stands, and is still a virgin. Sure, there are always rumours going on about how he has already slept with me or the queen bee, but that's what they are. Rumours. I know for sure he hasn't even kissed a girl yet- if you don't consider the numerous pecks he has given me or his mom. Why, though?- I have yet to find the answer to that question. That brings me back to the matter at hand. Will I regret ever telling him? But what if I'm happier than I am when I confess my love for him?

One thing is sure though. I'm definitely telling him, because who knows my heart finally finds the one it's been seeking for years.

"I'll tell him. Today." I finally tell everyone. They were all patiently waiting for my decision and I know they would support me regardless of what I chose.

"Don't worry about it much Annabeth. Percy has never dated anyone before and you are the only one he's closest to other than his mother. Not even we- his cousins- know or understand him as well as you do. Maybe he too recognizes his love for you when you tell him about yours." Thalia says smiling at me.

"Come on now, I'm hungry!" Jason says whining, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're always hungry Jase" Thalia says rolling her eyes as Piper takes Jason's hand and pulls him out the door.

"Come on Annabeth" Thalia says, pulling me out of the room.

We go down to find Percy already halfway through his breakfast. He's talking to Mr Jackson when we arrive. I'm seeing Mr Jackson after a really long time- almost after a week. He always leaves for office before we come down for breakfast and arrives after we go to bed.

"Morning everyone." He greets us when we come near. "I was thinking David could take you all out for shopping today. Percy will join you all at lunch. We would have already left for office, but he insisted he wouldn't leave without meeting you all today." Mr Jackson says smiling as soon as we are seated.

Percy just looks up at us and smiles apologetically. He's wearing black jeans and a light blue button down shirt today, looking handsome as always. His sea green eyes come and stop at me as his lips curve up into a beautiful smile.

"Before you ask, yes I will come with you to the bookstore after lunch wise girl." He says smirking at me, his eyes twinkling.

I merely grin at him. He knows me so well, I knew I wouldn't even have to ask him to accompany me. Although I'm not too happy about him leaving for work, I'm pleased he's joining us for lunch.

Percy leaves with his dad in one of his cars as David silently drops us at a mall.

2 fights- you can guess in between whom, 1 large pizza- eaten alone by a certain blue eyed boy, and a dozen shopping bags- most of them belonging to Piper- later, we go for lunch in the restaurant Percy's already waiting for us in.

"Hey seaweed brain" I say to him, kissing his cheek and sitting beside him.

"Hey wise girl, bought anything?" he asks me after greeting the others.

"Nah. You know where I'm going to shop" I say referring to the bookstore.

"True" he replies grinning, while eating his food.

I simply watch him as eats and converses with others. I have always enjoyed seeing him like this. His lips turn up into a smirk when he is thinking of a plan to annoy Thalia. He grins mischievously when he teases Jason and makes Piper laughs, occasionally stealing my food while giving me his lopsided grin.

We both make our way to the bookstore as everyone else leaves for home. I could tell him now since we are alone, but I want to wait until we reach home.

I take his hand in mine and drag him to the bookstore. His rough, muscular hand seems perfect in mine.

I go on handing him books as we move down the aisle of shelves. We do this in New York too. I keep on sprouting random facts and information about the books as I hand them to him. He always keeps up with me with a pile of books in his hands and helps me carry them back to the car.

We reach home by the evening and decide to eat the dinner early. I'm going to tell him after everyone goes to sleep.

My nervousness grows with each passing second. We have had our meal and are currently relaxing in the living room, watching the television. My hands continuously fidget and I think Percy noticed my anxiousness because he asks "everything alright wise girl, you seem worried."

 _Oh nothing much I'm just going to confess to my best friend of nine years that I love him and I have no idea what the outcome of it will be._ I want to say, but of course I don't. I never thought I would have a problem confessing anything to Percy, but here I am now thinking of ways to break the news to him. I can't just go up to him and claim I have always loved him, can I? Cause I definitely don't have a problem with it- it'll be quick and easy. I then realize he had just asked me a question and was probably waiting for a reply.

"Nothing seaweed brain, I'm just a bit tired." I say the first thing that comes to my mind.

"It's quite late, we should all go to sleep now" he says looking at me with concern.

"Right. Sleep. Goodnight guys." I quickly say before running back to my room, closing the door behind me. I lean my back on the door, and release a sigh.

I could tell him tomorrow also right? It's pretty late now, he said so himself. He's probably tired now of all the work and shopping he did today. I'll tell him tomorrow morning.

I close my eyes and groan. I'm stalling, I know, but I need some time. I go to sleep promising myself to tell him everything tomorrow morning the first chance I get.

What I didn't know was I may never get the chance.


	10. Chapter 10

Annabeth's pov:

I swear the fates are playing some cruel game with me. Percy left with Mr Jackson for work early today- this is what Sara told us. I am both relieved and disappointed by this. Disappointed because I wanted to tell him as soon as possible before anything gets complicated. Relieved because well, I got some more time.

"You didn't tell him yesterday did you?" Piper asks me at the breakfast table.

I sigh and reply "no, I didn't."

"You have to tell him Annabeth" Thalia says exasperatedly, rubbing her forehead.

"I know! I was going to tell him today morning and look what happened!" I say frustrated by the recent turn of events. Stupid, stupid seaweed brain. Why did he have to leave again? Just when I was about to tell him...

I run a hand through my hair and look down, my appetite now lost.

Someone keeps a comforting hand on my shoulder and says "it's okay Annabeth, don't fret over it. He'll come home soon, I asked Sara. She said he'll arrive by dinner time." It's Piper of course. Only she can talk so calmly and logically in such a situation. I send her thankful look as she smiles gently at me.

My phone rings breaking the silence. It's Percy.

"See? He called this time." Jason says grinning at me.

I smile slightly as I see our picture on the screen. How can I ever be angry at my seaweed brain?

"uh wise girl?" he asks nervously as I pick up the call.

"hmm" I reply trying not to sound too happy that he called.

"Dad just wouldn't listen to me wise girl, plus the office really needed me today. I'll make it up to you guys, promise. I'll definitely reach home by dinner today. And...I'm not going to die anytime soon am I?" he asks a bit worriedly.

I laugh at this. He always knows how to lighten up my mood and make me happy.

"Thalia's not killing you anytime soon for leaving again. At least I hope she isn't" I add the last part, smirking.

He groans and says "anyways, I'll be seeing you later then. Bye wise girl." He says ending the call.

"Look at her now, smiling like crazy. The effect that boy has on you..." Thalia trails off as Piper and Jason grin at me.

My smile just grows wider as I go to my room to read the books I bought yesterday. None of us want to go outside today. Thalia may take off in one of Percy's cars, but other than that no one. Jason and Piper are probably in the basement passing time together.

We pretty much have a boring day afterwards. I told you Percy is like the glue binding us all together, remember? We are all kind of incomplete without him in way or the other. It's not the same without him making us laugh every other minute. Thalia manages to bring back Percy's car without a scratch- which is truly a great achievement. Jason and Piper are out in the garden I guess. After lunch Thalia and Jason connect some video game to the TV- and started fighting, obviously. They can't go a day without that.

I had plenty of time to think, therefore. "Go to his room and confess it to him Annabeth. Don't mould or sugar-coat your words. Don't leave out any information. Just tell him whatever you feel and be honest. I'm sure he'll understand Annabeth. He will never hurt you intentionally, he cares too much about you to do that." Piper suggests. And let me tell you she's the best for relationship advices. I never thought I would need them so early though.

We were both just sitting on the couches, watching the siblings' drama unfold in front of us.

"What happens after I tell him Piper? I mean, he may not feel the same, and...and I don't think I can bare the heartbreak. I love him too much." I voice the question which had me worrying the entire night.

"Well you're never going to find out what will happen if you never voice your thoughts. It will hurt- a lot- if the outcome is...not in your favour. But what if it is? I'm sure there will be no happier being than you in the world. So, just give it chance okay? Plus, it's a huge relief- finally admitting to someone that you love them. It's like a weight you've been carrying around all your life has finally been lifted off your shoulders and you're finally breathing properly. You no more have to secretly admire them or crave for them. They're all yours. I'm telling this from experience Annabeth. You won't believe how happy I was when Jason and I finally admitted our love to each other." Piper says looking lovingly towards her boyfriend who is trying to distract Thalia to win the game. Her eyes are shining with pure love for him and admiring him without having to hide it.

"You're the best Pipes" I say and it's true. Her words and advice gave me confidence to admit and hope that all will be fine.

It's 8:10 pm when I hear the doorbell ring. Jason and Thalia have fought numerous times by now- both verbally and physically.

Sara opens the door which is immediately followed by a loud "WOOF!"

Sara's eyes grow wide and her mouth parts in shock and surprise at whoever is at the door.

A big black Tibetan Mastiff enters the house barking and wagging it's tale. It is about 24 inches tall with thick black fur. We all look up in shock as it jumps and barks around...happily, I guess? At least I hope it's happy. I wouldn't want to see it angry, it looks dangerous enough already.

"Stop Mrs O'Leary!" an angelic voice says laughing.

A beautiful girl of around my age enters the house as Sara shuts the door close behind her dazedly.

The girl's face was milky pale, with high cheekbones, dark almond-shaped eyes and pouty lips. Her long caramel coloured hair swayed down her back in a mesmerizing way. The sweetheart neckline and close fitting of the simple but elegant white dress complimented her hourglass figure perfectly as if it was specially designed and stitched for her. She was without doubt the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She didn't have an ounce of makeup on her face, and that just made her a lot more beautiful, because she seemed so natural. She seems like someone all the men desire, but will give her heart to only the worthiest of them all. Her handsome face and intelligent eyes showed she was not one to be taken lightly or to be pleased by flattery. She gracefully walked towards the dog and patted him on the head. Almost instantly, it stopped barking and knelt down quietly, nuzzling his nose in her hand.

She them seemed to notice four teenagers gaping at her in awe and turned towards us smiling. I could almost hear the boys sigh at her charming smile.

She looked at us confusion, then turned to looks towards Sara, who still seemed shocked and a bit dazed. Sara, sensing the silent question introduces us.

"This is Calypso, a...uh a friend of Percy's?" she says ending the sentence with a question like she isn't quite sure who to introduce her as. "Calypso, these are some friends of Percy's who came with him this year to spend some time together." A flash of understanding passes her bewitching eyes as Sara continues "this is Annabeth- his best friend, Thalia and Jason- his cousins, and Piper- Jason's girlfriend."

She smiles and firmly shakes each of our hands, greeting us.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." She says in her melodious voice.

The doorbell rings again and Sara opens the door to reveal Percy and Mr Jackson. The dog perks up seeing Percy and lunges at him sending him crashing to the ground.

"Percy!" I exclaim and move forward to help him but Calypso's laugh stops me. I then realize the dog is not attacking him, but licking his face and wagging it's tail in delight.

"Mrs O'Leary! How are you here girl?!" Percy exclaims sounding shocked and excited. He laughs, scratching her behind the ear and somehow manages to get out from under the tall, heavy dog.

Mr Jackson sees Calypso first and his eyes widen. He looks towards us standing beside her and furrows his eyebrows, looking deep in thought.

Percy stands up and his eyes fall straight on Calypso. And stay there. He just stands there staring at her with wide eyes, mouth slightly open apart. His eyes roam all over her body, taking in every inch of her, as if he can't quite believe she's here.

The four of us are standing still, not moving an inch, confused at everyone's reaction to Calypso's arrival. Why does everyone seem so shocked and...worried?

A single word releases from Percy's mouth, like a silent whisper which would not have been heard if not for the pin drop silence in the mansion.

"Calypso" he sighs as a strange emotion flashes through his eyes- one I have never seen before.


	11. Chapter 11

Percy's pov:

A big mass of black hits me and sends me sprawling onto the ground as soon as I enter the house. Dark, beady eyes stare down at me excitedly when I open my eyes. It instantly starts licking my face, and I realize who it is.

"Mrs O'Leary! How are you here girl?! I ask shocked and surprised by my dog's sudden appearance. She merely barks as I scratch her behind the ear. Oh, how I missed her. I laugh and finally manage to come out from under her.

A beautiful laughter reaches my ears as I stand up- one that warms my heart, one that I haven't heard in years.

I look up to see the face my eyes have been yearning to see for so long. Her soft yet sharp eyes seem as if they can look right through me and read my every thought. They probably can. Her delicate lips are curved up into a small breathtaking smile as Mrs O'Leary stands beside me. Her eyes never stray from mine though. I can see a hint of sadness and pain effectively concealed behind those joyful eyes, which fool everyone but me. Her long hair tumbles down to her slim waist in thick, silky waves. She's wearing _the_ white dress. It fits her perfectly, showing off her curves and long creamy legs.

"Calypso" I say the name which is always on my mind, always invading my thoughts and dreams.

She stands still, just staring at me, not saying a word. Her eyes though are a different story as millions of unspoken thoughts and emotions flash though them.

Someone coughs behind me, gathering the attention of everyone in the hall- everyone except the two of us.

"Calypso" a deep voice says- my dad I assume.

She moves her gaze away from me and looks behind me at my father. I reluctantly follow her lead, annoyed at being interrupted in between of such a beautiful moment.

"It's good to see you after such a long time." Dad says coming forward, smiling kindly at her.

"Father forced me to go on a trip to Athens this year. I thought he would have informed you of my arrival." She says frowning a bit. I'm not liking that frown on her face.

"Don't worry about that." He says waving a hand. It feels like he's hiding something. "You've got a perfect timing though. It's dinner time, come on." He says guiding her towards the dining room. Everyone follows them out the hall until I'm the only one left. Or so I thought. Annabeth takes my hand and drags me to the dining table where everyone is already seated. I sit on the chair on dad's lefts side, who is sitting at the head of the table as always. Directly in front of me sits Calypso who is looking down at her food, avoiding my eyes.

I don't really eat anything that night. Just stare at her most of the time, trying to make sure that she really _is_ here. I watch as she converses with dad or occasionally laughs with Piper. She'll be staying here for a long time- that's what I figured out from whatever little I heard when I wasn't too busy staring at her- which was rare. I know she feels me continuously staring at her, but not once does she look up at me or acknowledges me throughout the meal. And it hurts. A lot.

I quietly get up and go to my room leaving my dinner behind.

It's a full moon today I notice, as I look out from the balcony of my room.

My thoughts wander back to the girl sitting downstairs- they always find a way to do that. I finally heard the voice my ears have been longing to hear for years. But that wasn't enough. My hands itched to touch her, caress her cheek. I couldn't bare the distance between us. She was so close, yet so far. So far beyond my reach. If only I could just reach out, pull her close to me, feel her heartbeat against mine. I wanted to tuck that lock of hair behind her ear during the dinner. I suppressed the urge to hold her hand, to feel their softness again. Her voice was music to my ears, my favourite music. Her caramel hair was glowing under the soft yellow light of the dining room. Her milky face was glowing with happiness as she laughed with Piper.

I lay down on the bed and close my eyes. Her lovely face immediately flashes in front of my eyes. I force the images and memories to go away. It hurts too much to remember them, especially when she's just a floor away from me and refuses to even look at me.

I hear a thud at my door followed by a bark. I sigh, opening my eyes, and get up to open the door. How could I forget about her?

Mrs O'Leary enters my room and plops down at the foot of the bed. A friend of dad's had gifted her to me when he died. She was aloof and stubborn in the beginning, but eventually warmed up to me- which required several dog bites and scratches and wounds. Yeah, she was quite aggressive. She still is if need be.

With a sigh I close my eyes and drift off to sleep where I'll see her in my dreams, as always.

Annabeth's pov:

Percy didn't eat or say anything throughout the dinner. He just kept staring at Calypso as if finally registering that she really is here. He abruptly stands and leaves with Mrs O'Leary following behind him. Soon after, we all go off to our rooms with Calypso in one of the spare rooms on our floor.

I lie down and think about what happened today. I have never seen Percy behaving like this before. I suddenly realize, I didn't know a lot of things about my best friend until now. It's like a whole new side of Percy Jackson is revealed in Athens.

I admit it. I didn't like the way Percy kept staring at her, as if she was the most valuable thing to him, as if she would disappear in a moment's notice. I didn't like the way he paid attention to no one but her. He didn't steal my food, he didn't laugh with Piper, he didn't crack jokes with Thalia and Jason, he didn't converse with his dad. I had to drag him to the dining room because he was too busy staring at her. Thalia had saved me a seat beside Percy, but it didn't really matter. He didn't even acknowledge me- or anyone for that matter. And the strangest thing? Calypso didn't even glance at him- not even once. Like she didn't care that he was staring at her the whole time. Any other girl would have done anything in her power to just get a glance from Percy Jackson, to just have an opportunity to talk to him, to gain his attention even for a little while. And here she was, capturing his attention the entire night, holding him spellbound. The worst part though? He has never, ever behaved this way in front of another woman. He has always refused their proposals, ignored their looks, turned them down, broken thousands of hearts. But this time, the roles were switched. For the first time, he was the one gazing at someone, craving for their attention, looking at them in longing and desire. He was the one looking vulnerable. And I hated it. I hated seeing that look in his eyes for some other girl. She was able to bring Perseus Jackson down to his most vulnerable state, she was able to make him reveal his insecure, self conscious part- in a matter of mere seconds, without even trying.

I didn't tell him about my feelings. I just couldn't. Not after his reaction to her.

One question constantly disturbs me. Do I really know my best friend? I didn't know he was a billionaire, that he had a mansion in Athens, that he handled business along with Poseidon Jackson, that he had a pet dog, that he had _friend_ back in Athens. I didn't know the most basic things about him, and I always thought I knew him best. I am with him since nine years, am I not? Then why does he feel like a total stranger to me sometimes? I feel as if I don't know him at all, as if I'm just now meeting a guy named Percy Jackson. As if he hasn't always really been there with me, as if he was never really my best friend. He was someone else entirely, hiding the true Perseus Jackson from everyone.

And I'm afraid, I'm terrified of what more I'll find out about him, because I have a feeling I won't like it all.


	12. Chapter 12

Annabeth's pov:

I go downstairs to see Thalia, Jason and Piper already seated at the dining table for breakfast. All three of them glance at each other as I take a seat beside Thalia.

"Annabeth, are you alright?" Thalia asks with a worried look in her eyes.

"Yes...?" I ask, confused by the question.

"You seemed quite disturbed yesterday Annabeth" Piper says frowning at me, observing me carefully.

"And you don't seem too happy right now. Percy hasn't left for office without meeting you today, you know?" Jason adds.

I sigh tiredly and say "it's nothing guys. It's just-"

"Good morning everyone" someone says interrupting me.

Calypso enters the dining room dressed in shorts and a top. She can make the simplest of clothing look gorgeous. She smiles at us and takes the seat near Piper, just like yesterday.

"Morning Calypso" Piper replies smiling as Jason and Thalia nod their head in acknowledgement- their mouths occupied at the moment. I merely turn to look at her and move my gaze back to my food. Why hasn't Percy arrived yet? He's usually here before us.

Mrs O'Leary comes through the doorway, and places herself near Calypso's chair. Calypso smiles down at her and lovingly strokes her fur.

"Why have you named it Mrs O'Leary?" Jason asks frowning, with a confused look in his eyes. That's something even I want to know. 'Mrs O'Leary' is a pretty weird name for a dog.

"Her" Calypso corrects.

"Mrs O'Leary is a girl" Calypso further explains when Jason looks at her in confusion. "And you'll have to ask Perseus for the answer to that question. She's his pet after all." She says smiling, with a faraway look on her face. The same look I often see on Percy's face.

Sara sets up Mrs O'Leary's food, as she wags her tail in anticipation.

"Breakfast's amazing Sara, I forgot how good your cooking was" Calypso says referring to the various dishes prepared by her. Mrs O'Leary too is wolfing down her food.

Sara smiles softly and says, "that's why you should come here more often dear."

Mr Jackson comes in dressed in a navy suit, ready for office, and greets us good morning.

"Calypso, did you sleep well?" he asks, looking towards her.

"I did da- Mr Jackson" she says correcting herself. I narrow my eyes at her. What was it she was going to say earlier?

Mr Jackson doesn't notice the slip-up, or maybe decides to ignore it and says smiling, "good. I'm afraid I'll have to leave now" he says frowning, looking down at his watch. "Percy's staying home for the day though" he continues. I don't fail to notice the inconspicuous wink he gives Calypso while saying this. What was that about? Calypso seems to notice the gesture too, as she quickly looks down at her food, frowning and looking deep in thought.

Mr Jackson gives us a brief smile before leaving the room. Almost instantly Percy arrives dressed in some casual jeans and a navy blue shirt. His hair is slightly wet, probably from the shower he just took. Something seems different about him today though. I can't pinpoint what it is exactly, but it's as if he's just a bit more...happy today? A bit more lively? And it's weird and confusing, because he always seems this way- full of life and energy, always smiling. But today it's just different. His eyes seem just a bit brighter, his smile just a bit wider.

He takes a seat beside me and I turn to look towards him, smiling softly.

"Morning seaweed brain" I greet him and lean forward to kiss him on the cheek. "You're staying here today aren't you?" I ask him grinning. I'm glad he's spending the day with me and not going off to work for once.

"Yes, wise girl" he says smiling before moving his gaze away from me. I frown at his short reply, and turn to see him staring at that girl. Again. She glances at Percy, before continuing her own meal.

Percy thankfully eats his food instead of staring at her the whole time. Why does he even stare at her? She's not that beautiful or attractive is she?

Thalia and Jason want to complete their Avenger series, so we basically have a lazy day filled with movies and junk food.

With everything that's going on, I need some time to process things. I lay my head on Percy's lap as Jason plays the movie. I notice Calypso looking at us and unconsciously move a bit more closer to him. She turns her gaze away, looking back at the TV.

Sara brings us some popcorn amidst the movie- some of which I secretly stick in Percy's hair. He notices soon and tries to shake them off, adorably shaking his head to get rid of them. I laugh at his failed attempt to get them off his hair, and run my fingers through his soft hair to remove them. Calypso notices our interaction, and I notice the frown and pained look on her face. I smirk internally at her sour expression.

Wait, where did that come from? _I'm jealous_ , I realize _._ Of course I am. Here comes a girl whom I've never seen, never known, never heard about. And she is _friends_ with mybest friend of nine years, whom I love dearly. She suddenly enters the house yesterday night with _Percy's_ dog shocking all the residents of the Poseidon Mansion as if they never expected to see her again. Sara is as close to her as she is to Percy, loves her just as much as she loves Percy. It was quite evident by the various conversations they have had till now. Mr Jackson seems to like her a lot too. The concerned and caring tone with which he talks to her, shows his obvious fondness for her, just like a father's love. And most importantly? Percy never told me anything about this friend of his in Athens. And he always tells me everything. At least that's what I always thought.

Every girl wishes Percy Jackson stares at them the way he stares at Calypso. But he never did. Not until now. And I hate it. I hate it that she has that effect on him. I hate it that I am not the girl his eyes desire. I hate it that she holds that power over him, and that I can't even get him to properly acknowledge me since her arrival.

He hasn't said much to me since morning. Come to think of it, he hasn't talked much at all. His eyes are fixated on the television, but he's not really watching it. They have the same faraway, distant look they have when he's at the beach or at the tree watching the sun as it goes down the horizon. His eyes occasionally flicker towards Calypso who is staring intently at the television, as if avoiding meeting someone's gaze- more specifically, Percy's.

I sigh and look up at him. I have to tell him soon. I have to before it's too late. So this what the schoolgirls feel like? When they are desperate to confess their love for the swim team captain before anyone else does, before anyone else steals his heart? I never thought I would be in this situation, desperate for a boy's attention, scared to lose him, afraid of it being too late, terrified of making things worse.

TIME SKIP

Mr Jackson arrived some time ago, just as we were having our dinner.

Percy's fists are clenched tightly I notice. He's frowning deeply, looking down at the wooden floor. He continuously taps his foot, his teeth clenched tightly. He looks at war with himself, as if deciding what he should do next. I don't think anyone else notices this sudden change in his behaviour. Thalia is busy teasing Jason as Piper laughs in the background. Mr Jackson is nowhere to be seen and Sara is probably in the kitchen cleaning up after the dinner we just had. I don't really pay attention to what Calypso's doing right now, too busy at observing Percy's strange behaviour.

It's almost 10 by now. I have to tell him. It's now or never. Just as I am about to put a comforting hand on his tense shoulders, he stands up. Taking a deep breath, he walks over to where Calypso is sitting, staring at his approaching figure. He leans down, takes her hand in his and pulls her up. Thalia, Jason and Piper all stop what they're doing when they notice the two of them. He hasn't talked to her since she arrived. It was obvious there was some tension going on between the two, but we never pushed Percy for answers knowing he needed some time. Here he is now suddenly holding her hand in hers- so this obviously spikes our interest, makes us curious, gives us hope that we'll finally be able to figure out what the matter is.

Calypso is too stunned by his sudden approach, unable to say anything. He takes her up the stairs, keeping a firm grip on her wrist as if afraid she'll vanish if he doesn't pay attention. Calypso opens her mouth to say something- protest maybe- but Percy seems determined. His steps don't falter as he drags her along with him.

I am too shocked by this sudden turn of events, not knowing how to react. Guess he finally decided what he wanted to do- which cost me another chance of confessing my feelings for him.


	13. Chapter 13

Percy's pov:

I lock the door behind Calypso once we enter my room. She's wearing white shorts which reach her mid thigh along with an orange sleeveless top, showing off her slender arms. A strand of her caramel hair falls from behind her ear as she turns around to face me once I release my grip on her wrist.

Pain, sorrow, confusion, anger- all swirl in her beautiful eyes as she looks straight into mine. We stand there, just like that, staring at each other- finally alone, away from everyone's eyes. I had no option but to take her away. I couldn't bear the distance anymore. It was killing me to see her so detached, to not be able touch her, feel her, talk to her when she's sitting just a few feet apart. She avoided my gaze throughout the day, and all I could do was just stare at her, waiting for her to finally acknowledge me. But a whole day was enough, I could wait no longer. So I gripped her hand tightly, making sure not to hurt her, and pulled her towards my room, my steps never faltering even when she tried to protest.

She takes a step forward towards me, raises a hand, and before I realize what's happening, a stinging pain burns my left cheek. My head slightly jerks towards the right and I close my eyes sighing. I deserved that.

I raise my head and meet her eyes. I can see the cracks slowly forming, breaking the barrier she had formed to conceal her emotions. Her lips slightly quiver and her hands are clenched into tight fists. A small drop of tear rolls down her cheek and it kills me to know that I am the one who caused it. She is not one to tear up easily, it's rare actually. So, to know that they were formed by immense and unbearable pain, inflicted by me, crushes my heart.

I move forward and slowly raise my hand to wipe away that tear. I tenderly and affectionately caress her cheek, revelling in the feeling of finally touching her. Her soft brown eyes look deep into mine before she slowly closes them and lays her head on my chest, her arms tightly wounding around my waist. My arms instantly go around her back, pulling her closer to me.

I release a sigh of relief. 2 years. Seems like a small number doesn't it? It was much longer for me though. Much, much longer. With every passing second, I forced myself to get used to live without her touch, lost all hope of ever seeing her beautiful face again, of having her in my arms again. After a long agonizing day of not feeling her in spite of her being so close to me, and finally gathering her in my arms, is a huge relief. I place a soft kiss on top of her hair and run my fingers through her silky hair. She smells just as I remembered- of cinnamon. It's familiar and pleasant and just _her._ It feels like I'm finally home after years of wandering around, where I'm supposed to be. As if however much I roam around and get lost, I'll always find a way back home- a way back to her. It gives me assurance and hope that all is going to be fine as long as she is with me. I finally feel complete, I got my other half with me in my arms.

She slowly raises her head from my chest and looks directly into my eyes. I can clearly see the hurt and question in her eyes. Before she gets the chance to ask, I pull her towards the bed and lie down with her head on my chest. My one arm wraps tightly around her slim waist, and the other intertwines its fingers with hers. I place a soft kiss on her hand and place our intertwined hands on my chest, just above my heart where she can probably feel my erratic heartbeat caused by her closeness to me.

"A simple sorry doesn't make up for all the pain I've put you through, but that seemed like the best decision, the best thing to do at that time. You know I make wrong decisions when I'm not thinking straight, and you were not there to correct me." I begin saying. She looks at me intently, listening carefully.

"I was scared." I admit. "I was running away from the problem instead of facing it. It was just too hurtful. Those two months were the best moments of my life Calypso, and parting with you...I couldn't face it, I was a coward. I was growing more and more desperate as the day neared. I was desperate and ready to do anything and everything in my power to prevent it from happening, to be with you, in your arms just a bit longer, to stop the time then and there and never part with you, never leave you. But it was inevitable Cal, I had to leave. And I thought- no I _knew_ \- it would be difficult, painful. So I took the easy way out. I left, without meeting you, saying you goodbye. It was selfish of me to do that because I thought it would spare me the pain, save me from the heartbreak and grief. I didn't want to see you for what probably would be the last time. Knowing that chances of meeting you again were next to none- it broke my heart. I didn't want to accept the truth of being with you for the last time and meeting you the day I was leaving would just make it seem more real because it would finally register then that that was it- you and me, _us_ , it was over. And I couldn't- didn't want to- bear that pain." I pour out all the things, feelings I had buried deep inside me to her. All the things I wanted to say, but never got the chance to- until now. And I'm not going to leave anything out now.

"This was all that was going on inside my head when I left without informing you. Not once did I think about how much it would hurt you, how betrayed you would feel after finding out I left without a simple goodbye after months of spending time together." I tighten my grip on her while saying all this.

"I reached New York and realised just how foolish I was, how wrong a decision I had made. I have never regretted anything more in my life than the wrong deed I did to you. It wasn't fair of me at all to leave like that, you didn't deserve it. Whenever I returned to Athens, the thought of visiting you always occurred to me, but I always pushed the thought aside. I knew you would be angry, hurt, and I didn't want to see the betrayed look on your face when you saw me. It would kill me even further to see the hatred for me in your eyes. I was a wimp, I chickened out. Didn't dare to show you my face to prevent finding out that you hate me, wanted nothing to do with me anymore. Heck, I don't even know why you're listening to all this, you should've left by now for all you had to suffer because of me." I sigh and close my eyes, absentmindedly playing with her delicate fingers on my chest.

I open my eyes to see her looking directly into mine, her chin on my chest.

"Let me make it up to you? Give me another chance? I've learned from my mistake and will make sure to never repeat it in the future again." I gently tuck a lock of hair behind her ear as she observes me carefully.

"You're not a coward Perseus" _Perseus._ You know the actual reason why I don't want anyone to call me by my real name? Because that was what she used to call me. Perseus. She is the only one who has the right to call me that. It feels good to hear my name from her lips after such a long time. Those 2 years were like decades for me, and hearing her say my name again gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, everything will be fine. Everything that I've messed up and all the mistakes that I've made, will be made up for and hopefully forgiven.

"Whatever you said to me today, all the things you admitted- it requires great strength and courage to admit your faults and mistakes. Not everyone has the capability to own up and confess their wrong doings. Only the brave can do that because letting go of your ego and pride, and regret and realise your mistake- it's something few have the nerve of doing." She says continuing. Running her soft hands through my hair she says "I forgive you Perseus, and I believe you are not going to break my trust."

My eyes slightly widen as hear those words but before I comprehend what she said, she leans forward and presses her lips against mine. Her arms wound around my neck as I wrap my arms around her waist and flip us over so that I'm hovering over her. Gods, it's been so long. Her intoxicating scent clouds my mind with passion as I tilt my head and kiss her soft, warm lips. It's a passionate kiss filled with desire, longing, and love. She buries her fingers in my hair and slightly tugs at them. She knows I love it when she does that. I move one hand to her cheek and tilt her head slightly to deepen the kiss. My heart beats faster by the second as our lips move in sync. A soft moan releases her lips as I enter my tongue and explore every corner of her mouth. Her grip on my hair slightly tightens and it drives me over the edge. My hands are starting to lift up her shirt and I'll have to stop now before I take it too far. Not that I would mind it. We break apart breathing heavily, both of us panting. How did I survive so long without the touch of those alluring lips?

"I love you" she sighs, her eyes filled with love and passion. Oh, just how long have I waited to hear those words from her lips.

"And I you" the words instantly leave my mouth. It feels good to finally say it.

I sigh and slightly brush my nose with hers, closing my eyes. I place a soft lingering kiss on her forehead and look deep into her almond shaped eyes. A perfect mixture of various shades of brown swirl within filled with love and trust. I notice the pupils slightly dilating the longer I stare into those mesmerizing eyes. I kiss the top of her nose as her eyes flutter close. I pepper her chin, cheeks, nose, eyelids, and forehead with light, delicate kisses before giving her a short, sweet kiss on the lips.

I roll off her and pull her body towards me with an arm securely put around her waist.

"Good night Perseus" she says softly as I switch off the lights. She releases a small, cute yawn and sighs wrapping her arm across my torso.

"Good night, my moon" I sigh contentedly and kiss the top of her head one last time before going off to sleep with the girl I love in my arms.


	14. Chapter 14

Percy's pov:

My eyes slowly open after probably the best sleep I've had in years, the sunlight not blinding me for once because of the day curtains covering my ceiling to floor windows. I feel a weight on my chest and look down to see soft caramel hair spread over it. The events of last night come rushing back to me as I gently push aside some hair obscuring the view of her beautiful face. Her eyes are shut close causing her long dark lashes to brush her cheeks. A small, almost unnoticeable smile adorns her face, as breaths softly. The soft light coming in through the window hits her milky face, giving it an angelic glow. Oh, how my eyes have yearned to wake up to this view every morning.

Her eyes flutter open as I gently caress her cheek and trace her lips. She moves slightly and looks up to meet my eyes with her sleepy ones. She gently rubs them as I smile down at her and say "Morning, beautiful." My voice comes out as a low whisper, not wanting to ruin this calm and peaceful moment.

She sighs, smiling softly up at me and moves her hand to my jaw, her thumb gently rubbing my cheek. "Morning" she says sleepily in a whisper. Her gaze moves to the table clock and her eyes slightly widen at the time.

"Its 10:40 am Perseus" she says slightly surprised. I'm a bit surprised too because I've never slept in this late. "How long have you been awake for?" she asks placing her chin on my chest.

"About 20 minutes" I say tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Her brows furrow in confusion before she seems to realize something. "You were staring at me sleeping again?" she asks smiling, raising a perfect eyebrow. I used to do that a lot earlier so she easily guessed what I was doing for 20 minutes and why I didn't wake her up earlier.

"I could stare at you all day, remember?" I remind her while playing with her hair, referring to the last time I said that- which was 2 years ago.

"Yeah, you said that the first morning we woke up together, just like this." She says remembering that moment.

I sigh and lean forward but she places her fingers on my lips, stopping me from kissing her.

"I'm not going to kiss you until you brush your teeth Jackson" she says in a serious tone, her eyes filled with mirth and amusement.

I groan knowing she's right and bury my face in her neck, kissing her soft skin. She sighs and laughs softly, moving her fingers through my hair.

I lift my head up and murmur "I'll be right back" before untangling myself from her arms and going towards the bathroom.

The bath helps me think about how things are going to change now. Thalia and Jason will be quite angry that I didn't tell my cousins about the girl I love. Piper will probably understand and be happy for me. And Annabeth? Gods, she's going to be _so_ pissed at me. I've hidden so many things from my best friend when she has done nothing but share all her sorrows and secrets with me, confided in me. I didn't tell her about the most important thing in my life and its going to hurt her. All of them in fact. I should've told them about Calypso. I sigh and close my eyes, the cold water calming me down. I have to tell them today. I owe them an explanation. I'm surprised actually that they haven't questioned me about it yet. The thick tension between us was quite obvious since the moment I saw her.

I've been in here under the shower for quite long now so I quickly wrap a towel around my waist and go outside. She is standing with her back facing towards me, looking out the huge glass window. Seems like she took a shower too as she's now wearing a sleeveless cream dress which reaches up to her mid thigh showing off her creamy legs and slender arms. Her hair is braided over a shoulder and soft, contended smile plays on her lips.

I go towards her and wrap my arms around her slim waist from behind, nuzzling my nose in her neck, breathing her scent. She seems startled for a moment before lightly swatting my arms and saying "you're all wet Perseus." She turns around in my arms and kisses me, her soft lips pressing against mine as she puts her hands on my chest. She pulls back before I deepen the kiss and says "go get dressed. We should have been down a long time ago." I pout at the short kiss she gave me but get dressed nonetheless.

I see her staring wide eyed at me as I pull up my boxers and open the towel to wear my jeans, so I grin mischievously at her and say "it's nothing you've never seen before Cal." She blushes a furious red as I laugh. She scowls at me when she notices my wide grin. It's really tough getting her to blush- which only I can make happen. I quickly shut up though. An angry Calypso is _never_ good. Trust me, I know. I quickly put on a plain white shirt and take her hand in mine, intertwining our fingers.

We go downstairs, to see dad sitting on the living room couch, working on his laptop. Why hasn't he left for office yet?

"Morning dad. Where are the others?" I ask him noticing the absence of my friends.

"Good morning Percy. Your friends are out in the garden or in the garage I guess. Annabeth went to wake you up you know, at around 10. But she said something about your door being locked..." he trails off, not looking up from his laptop's screen. "You've never slept in this late though. It's...11:30 now son." He says frowning, finally looking up at me. His eyebrows rise up a bit in surprise when he notices Calypso standing close to me. A small smirk begins to play on his lips as he stares at our intertwined hands and stands up from his place at the couch. "Wow, that was fast" he says grinning, raising up an eyebrow at us. I just tighten my hold on Calypso and smile widely. He comes towards us and kisses Calypso on the forehead. "It's about time though" he says happily, slightly ruffling our hair. "And Calypso, don't restrain yourself from calling me dad again" He says, winking at her. I wasn't quite sure what he meant by that but the broad smile on her face after hearing the statement was enough for me to not question it. Dad has always had a soft spot for her you see, and loves her as much as he loves me- sometimes more than that. So, he insisted her at that time to call him dad claiming she was bound to call him that sooner or later.

I hear a gasp behind me and turn around to find a surprised Sara staring at us wide eyed. "Is it finally happening?" she asks looking at the two of us. I raise an eyebrow at her reaction. Is it really that surprising? Well I guess it is after two long years. "Oh, I'm so happy for the both of you!" she exclaims coming towards us with misty eyes, pulling us into a warm hug. She gets quite emotional sometimes. "Gods, finally someone who can handle this man" she says grinning at me. I chuckle at her remark as Calypso kisses my cheek, firmly holding my hand. It's true, no one knows me like her. Not my best friend, not my mom.

This brings me back to the problem at hand. "They are going to pissed at me aren't they?" I mutter to myself worriedly.

"Yes they are, but they'll love you nonetheless." Calypso says softly. Her smile comforts me and eases my tension as I smile back at her and excuse ourselves to meet our friends outside.


	15. Chapter 15

**Percy and Calypso are not engaged or married guys, in case you people have any confusion regarding their relationship.**

Percy's pov:

All four of them are sitting under a huge cherry tree when we go outside. Mrs O'Leary is sitting beside Thalia, sniffing the grass. I can tell she's quite uncomfortable in this hot climate. Jason has his arm around Piper as they all talk in hushed tones with Annabeth. Mrs O'Leary is the first to notice our presence and comes running towards us, barking. She looks up at me with those sparkling beady eyes, and nuzzles her nose in Calypso and mine's intertwined hands. Noticing the sudden change in her behaviour, everyone looks up to find Calypso stroking Mrs O'Leary's fur as I gaze at the two of them with a small smile on my lips.

"And the sleeping beauty's awake" Thalia says grinning at me along with Jason.

Annabeth is frowning though, as Piper glances at her worriedly. I roll my eyes at my cousins and decide to talk to Annabeth later. There's something important I have to tell them now.

I take a deep breath and say "there's something I've got to tell you, guys." Calypso gives my hand a small squeeze as we join them under the cherry tree. Mrs O'Leary lays her head in Calypso's lap as she gently pets her. Seeing their faces, I think they already have an idea on what I'm going to tell them about. It's pretty obvious actually, considering the fact that we are not avoiding each other's gaze anymore.

"Believe me when I tell you, I didn't want to hide any of it from you guys. You are one of my favourite people in the world and...just try to understand okay?" I take a moment to collect my thoughts before continuing. "It was the summer vacations of 2015 when it happened." I glance at Calypso before continuing "she lived in the mansion next to ours in Ogygia, and...gods, she was beautiful" I say releasing a breath and closing my eyes for a moment. I reopen them once I force the memories out. Now is not the time to be reminiscing them.

I release a sigh and say "alright, no beating around the bush. I loved her. I _love_ her. And everything was good and peaceful for once, but of course that didn't last long. I had to leave, of course. And I did a grave mistake. One I regret till now. It was selfish of me do it and guilt has been eating me up for two years now." Calypso softly rubs my palm, her gaze never straying away from me. "I never saw her again after that dreadful day, never had the courage to face her. But here she is now, forgiving and loving me all the same, her faith and trust in me still intact." I look at her with love and relish the feeling of her hands in mine.

"We talked it out yesterday night...and everything's good now." I bring up her hand to my lips, softly kissing the back of it.

Thalia and Jason look shocked whereas Annabeth...she has a strange emotion flashing through her eyes which I can't quite recognize. I know her almost like the back of my hand, but her face is just...blank. As if void of all emotions. Their reactions to this revelation worries me and I hurry to explain further before Piper cuts in and asks with an unreadable expression on her face "why didn't you tell us about it earlier Percy?" her kind voice and Calypso's comforting gestures soothes some of my tension.

"I...I don't really know why" I say frowning. "I know I should have told you all, but a lot was going on in my mind at that time, you know? I was so confused, and sad, and angry. I didn't know what to do, and just buried it all at the back of my mind. Moreover, it never came up and I liked it that way."

No one says anything. They look shocked as if still contemplating my words. Piper looks deep in thought as she observes me. Thalia and Jason are staring at Annabeth and that's when I realize she's been awfully quiet throughout my confession. She doesn't seem shocked or worried like the others. She is staring straight ahead towards the fountain with a blank look on her face. I furrow my eyebrows and am about ask what the matter is when Piper cuts in, _again._

"I'm happy for you Percy even though I would've preferred you telling us about it earlier" she says giving me small smile. This seems to snap everyone out of their thoughts- everyone except Annabeth. Thalia claps me on the shoulder as Jason gives Calypso a small smile.

I can see right through them though. Calypso has always said that I'm really observant, and I guess it's true to some extent. I can sense the nervousness and unease behind Thalia's friendly gestures, Jason's happy smiles and Piper's soothing voice. They seem anxious and concerned. They are happy for me, I can tell that much for sure, but it's just as if something's bothering them, troubling them. And they all seem to be throwing occasional glances at Annabeth who is still staring ahead with an emotionless face. Her reaction scares me the most because I've never seen her like this before. She is always the wise one, always ready with a solution for any problem, always attentive and alert. But today she just seems so distracted and distant. It's so unusual and unlike her. Everyone seems that way in fact today. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Calypso seems to notice their unusual behaviour too and gives my hand a light squeeze, sensing my discomfort.

"We should go inside now. I don't think Mrs O'Leary is feeling too well out here." Piper says glancing down at her. Mrs O'Leary has never liked the hot climate. She's more of a cold, chilly weather kind of animal. Right now she has her eyes covered with her paws and is growling occasionally in frustration. I get up while patting her to let her now we're going inside. She looks up and excitedly follows us back into the house. Piper has managed to bring Annabeth out of her thoughts and pulls her along.

I sigh and tiredly run a hand through my hair. This was not how I expected this conversation to go. Calypso lays her head on my shoulder as we walk towards the mansion. She probably knows what's going on inside my head right now. She always has.

Everyone's reaction to the revelation of our relationship unsettles me but I would have enjoyed this uncomfortable silence to the fullest had I known that things were going to get a lot more difficult from now on.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for updating so late guys. I'm not being able to take out much time to update so please be patient if the updates are slow. I'm not going to leave this story before completing it so don't give up, kay?**

Annabeth's pov:

Hollow. That's what I feel right now. I don't know what to feel actually. Angry? Because he kept it hidden from us, from _me,_ for so long? Happy? Because my best friend found his true love? Sad, broken, betrayed? Because he loves _her_?

I listened. I listened to each and every word he said. How he met her, how he loves her. I saw how he held her hand, how he looked at her with love. I haven't said a word to him and I know he noticed it. But what do I say? That I hate the way she keeps her head on his shoulder, that I have the urge to rip their intertwined hands apart, that I envy her for being so close to him, that I crave for the love and admiration he has in eyes for some other girl, that I love him and always have?

Someone drags me into the house as Sara shuts the door behind us. She is smiling widely with a bright twinkle in her eyes. Why does she look so happy? I see Mr Jackson leaving the mansion with a small smile on his face too.

Someone shakes my shoulder and I look ahead to find Piper staring worriedly at me. I notice everyone going down to the basement with Mrs O'Leary in tow. Thalia glances back at me before Piper gestures her to go on.

"Annabeth, would you like to go back to your room and rest for a while?" she asks softly. I don't completely register her words but the 'rest' part sounded good.

"Rest...yeah" I say absentmindedly nodding my head. She leads me to my room and it's good she did because I probably would've gotten lost in this huge mansion. My head's too filled up with thoughts to remember my way around the house.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asks as I sit upon my bed. I simply shake my head to answer her question.

She nods and quietly leaves the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

I release a sigh and lie down closing my eyes. I take my time to comprehend what all just happened.

Percy suddenly dragged her upstairs yesterday night and comes down late this morning holding hands with her. He said he met her two years ago. I met him before her didn't I? I've known him for nine years. He said he loves her. But doesn't he always say he loves me? Oh wait, he means it as a _best friend_. Has he ever kissed her? He must have. He gives me pecks on the forehead and cheek, nothing more than that. But she has felt his lips on hers. Is he even a virgi- no I refuse to think about that. I tightly shut my eyes, trying to force the images of his arms around her out of my mind. I pull my knees up to my chest and bury my face into the pillow as the truth finally hits me. He loves her. He loves someone else. My arms tighten around my knees and I try to control my erratic breathing. How can he fall in love with someone under two months? That's just ridiculous! He meets a girl during his two month summer vacation, a girl he's never seen, never heard about, and falls in love with her- so much that he loves her even after two years of never seeing her again. And I have been his best friend for _nine fucking years_ and he never developed feelings for me? Never saw me as anything more than his best friend? What is it about that girl that he loves so much? Her beautiful face, her silky hair, her drool worthy figure? I pull my hair frustratingly as images of him staring at her in awe and wonder flash through my mind.

The thing that hurt me the most though? He didn't even bother telling me about that girl. I have never hidden anything from him, he knows my deepest, darkest secrets, he knows me like no one else does. And I thought I knew him the best too. 'If anyone knows him better than his mom, its Annabeth' Thalia and Jason always used to say. And I would be proud of it. Proud and happy of being the one knowing my seaweed brain the best. His happiest moments, his saddest memories, his greatest achievements- I was a part of each and every one of them, or at least I thought so. Was I ever his best friend even when I didn't know the most basic things about him like him being a billionaire or having a girlfriend? Heck, I didn't even know he had a pet dog.

It should be expected though, shouldn't it? He's Percy Jackson, the heartthrob of Goode High, the handsome man who breaks thousands of hearts every day without realizing it. He surely must have had a few girlfriends and flings, right? Wrong. He never did, except until that moment years ago. I know for sure though that Calypso is the only girl he ever had feelings for. He would have told us today if he ever had feelings for any other girl. He owed that much to us.

The sudden wetness on my pillow makes me aware of the tears running down my cheeks. A humourless laugh releases from my mouth as I realize something. I never thought I would be crying over a boy, much less my best friend. I always thought of myself as a strong willed and practical person, paying attention to my studies, focusing on making my career. Never thought I would shed tears because of my broken heart. It was always my intention to stay as far away as possible from all this love and heartbreak shit. Couldn't stay away from him though could I?

Loud banging and shouting from outside my room brings me out of my thoughts. "Just a minute!" I exclaim to whoever is at the door, trying to keep my voice from shaking too much.

I run into the bathroom and wash my face, trying to clean it of dried tears and lessen the redness in my eyes. Tying my hair into quick ponytail I open the door and clear my throat to address the impatient person.

"Gods, Annabeth! I've been calling you for the last 10 minutes!" Thalia exclaims at me angrily, her concerned and worried expression betraying her tone.

"It was more like shouting than calling Thals" I say trying to put on a smile to ease her tension.

It does little to ease her tension and she says, "do you have any idea what the time is? It's 9:30 pm Annie and you haven't come out of your room or eaten anything since morning. Come on now." She takes my hand and pulls me down the hallway.

"I would've come up to get you much earlier, but Piper stopped me. She said you needed some time" She says as we go down the stairs.

I merely nod and quietly follow her down towards the dining room. No one is there except for Piper who is sitting on a chair with a plate of food in front of her. She looks up once she hears us coming in and gives me a small smile. I try to return the gesture, but it's difficult to do. She pushes the plate towards me once I'm seated opposite her with Thalia beside me. The warm, delicious smell coming from the food makes me realize just how hungry I am. I feel the absence of a presence beside me as I lift up my spoon to start eating. _He's_ not here. He always sits beside me at the dining table and the meal just seems incomplete without his voice constantly teasing and ringing in my ears, providing me with comfort and putting me to ease, reminding me of home and all things pleasant. He didn't even wait for me today. Did he leave because of her?

Thalia, probably sensing my discomfort, keeps a hand on my shoulder and says, "just eat and get some rest okay? We'll talk about it later." I know very well what _it_ is. Forcing all the thoughts out of my mind I somehow manage to swallow the food, which no more seems delicious to me.

As soon as the last bite goes into my mouth, I stand up from the table and make my way up the stairs with Thalia and Piper following close behind me. I wouldn't have eaten a bite of that food if not for these two. I don't want to worry them more than I already have.

"Look Annabeth, whatever happens just know that..." Piper begins as soon as we reach our floor, but the rest of her sentence fall on deaf ears.

There he is pinning her to the wall of the living room with his lips on hers. A burning sensation fills my heart as I see his hands roaming all over her body. It becomes difficult to breathe as I feel a painful stab in my stomach like a hot iron rod burning and slowly consuming me in flames. It becomes unbearable to watch anymore so I run away towards my room, slamming my door shut. I can feel the bile rising in my throat as the image plays again and again in my mind, reminding me of the way she had her fingers buried into his hair as he kissed her with his body pressed flush against hers. I empty the contents of my stomach into the basin as hot tears run down my cheek. The pain doesn't subside as I splash my face with cold water, trying to get rid of the burning sensation in my heart. My chest feels heavy and my vision turns blurry. Whatever little I ate throughout the day has now gone down the drain, sapping me of whatever little energy I had left. Someone comes in running into the bathroom and pulls me into a tight hug, gently rubbing my back. I simply close my eyes and take deep breaths trying to keep my mind blank, trying not to think about _it_. The person pulls away after a few moments and I soon feel the soft mattress of my bed underneath me. They tuck me in and switch off the lights of my room.

"Goodnight Annie" I faintly hear as darkness finally consumes me, ridding me of the physical pain. But that isn't the only pain which needs to be healed.


	17. Chapter 17

Percy's pov:

"Why didn't you let me talk to her moon?" I ask looking down at the girl in my arms. Calypso is sitting in between my legs with her back pressed against my chest as we watch reruns Sherlock Holmes- her favourite series. She looks up at me, her expression careful. I know she understood whom I'm referring to, but is just contemplating how to answer it. She opens her mouth to say something, but then shuts it quickly, deciding against it.

Piper told us that Annabeth wasn't feeling well today and hence was unable to come down to join us in the basement's game room. She didn't come down the whole day though, not even to eat. She hasn't spoken a word to me since I revealed my relationship with Calypso, and this sudden change in her behaviour is worrying me. I was going to confront her during dinner, but the girls stopped me from doing so. They somehow convinced me to not go to her room and check up on her and promised me that they'll make sure she eats something. I would not have given in to their requests though if not for Calypso persuading me to not go up.

A long sigh escapes from her lips as she mutters something under her breath. The frown on her face and the troubled look in her eyes shows her unwillingness to discuss this matter. She seems conflicted and I decide to put an end to it.

I gently hold her hands and whisper "tell me when you're ready to, okay?" She releases a sigh of relief and her tense shoulders relax.

I smirk when I hear the sharp intake of her breath as I kiss her earlobe. I love the way she reacts to my touch. I slide my nose down her neck, teasing her, my lips barely touching her skin. She quickly climbs off the bed as soon as my grip on her loosens. She grins mischievously down at me before running out of the room. I shake my head and turn off the television before following her out of the room. I find her drinking a glass of water in the living room with her back facing towards me. She keeps the glass down on the coffee table and turns around to find me smirking devilishly at her.

"You're not getting away from me tonight Ms Atlas" I say as I slowly make my way towards her. Her eyes slightly widen and she opens her mouth to retort but I grab her waist and push her up against a wall, silencing her. I lean down to gaze into those beautiful eyes and keep a hand on the wall beside her head. Dilated pupils, parted lips, erratic breathing- Gods, she's beautiful. I crash my lips onto hers, unable to hold back any more. She responds just as fiercely and buries her fingers into my hair, bringing me closer. I close the little gap between our bodies and push my body against hers as my fingers tangle in her silky hair. She releases a gasp and I take the opportunity to enter my tongue and explore her mouth. The entire world seems to have faded around me and her moans are the only sounds my ears capture. The feel of her warm, soft lips on mine, her fingers grazing my neck as they tug at my hair- her touch, it's heavenly. Her intoxicating cinnamon smell consumes me, clouds my senses, and rids my mind of all rational thoughts. My body burns with lust and passion and I just want _more._ She's breathing heavily when I pull apart and so am I. I lean my forehead on hers, my eyes shut tightly. My hands crave to touch her, feel her, make her mine. I pick her up and she wounds her legs around my waist as I walk towards my bedroom. I kick the door close and place her down on my bed, instantly claiming her lips. Peppering her jaw and neck with kisses, I bite and suck her sweet spot near her collar bone, marking her as mine. A shiver suddenly runs down my spine and I feel her delicate hands running over my abs. She pulls away my shirt as her hands roam all over my body. _Fuck_ it feels good. I remove her shirt in a quick motion and- _shit_ , she's breathtaking, literally. I gulp as I gape at her underneath me. It's been _so_ long. I run my hands over her soft, fair skin and sexy curves, taking in her beauty. I feel her squirm under my touch as I kiss her down to her waist. I look into her eyes- silently asking her a question- as my fingers slightly slip under her shorts. She nods and that is all it takes me to finally remove the barrier in between our bodies and claim her as mine. I raise up my head from the crook of her neck to kiss her, but the sight of her under me stops me and I take a moment to soak in her beauty- long hair spread all over the pillow, skin glistening with sweat under the soft light, nails raking my back as she moans and sighs my name as I make love to her- Gods, how my eyes yearned to see her like this again. How did I survive two years without her? I peck her on the lips and bury my face into her shoulder, groaning.

I pull her up to my chest and close my eyes, breathing heavily. She looks up at me once our breathing calms down and pushes back my slightly sweat soaked hair.

"I love you." I say tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I love you too" she says smiling softly.

I release a sigh and kiss her forehead before switching off the lights and pulling the blanket over us.

I feel a weight on my chest as I open my eyes. My arms are wound tightly around her bare body and the events of last night coming rushing back to me. I kiss her bare shoulder and feel her shift under my arms. She opens her eyes and smiles up at me.

"Morning" she whispers, but she seems quiet awake.

"Morning love. You were awake, weren't you?" I ask sleepily.

"Yeah, you looked adorable with that little drool and messy hair so I didn't wake you up." she says grinning.

"Or maybe you were just ogling at my body" I say smirking, kissing her nose.

She swats my chest chuckling before getting up and going towards the bathroom.

"Wait for me!" I call out before stopping her from shutting the door in my face.

"Perseus" she warns, the amused look in her eyes betraying her.

"Just trying to save water Cal" I say shrugging my shoulders before forcing myself inside and locking the door behind us.

TIME SKIP

We go down to find lots of yelling and cursing coming from the dining room. I look towards Calypso with a raised eyebrow and she merely shrugs her shoulder. We go in to find what the commotion is about, and believe me it's not what I expected.

Calypso gasps and a small smile tugs at her lips while the only thing going through my mind is- What the fuck is _he_ doing here?


End file.
